Sonic Rush: Next Generation
by Babylon Sky Hawk
Summary: In times of peace, evil only waits to grow. And with the Sonic Heroes past their prime, it's time for the next generation to step in and protect the world. But our heroes must first learn to control the power within them.
1. Prologue: The Legend Begins

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Sonic the Hedgehog © Sonic Team

Prologue: The Legend Begins

Darkness...eternal darkness blotted out the light of the sun and covered the planet in a sea of shadows. The ruins of a former great city were ready to collapse off their last legs as the war between light and darkness raged onto its final outcome. One of the higher structures toppled over once a vivid blue blur collided with the building. It took several short moments, but the creature in question emerged from the rubble, revealing himself to be a matured blue and red hedgehog. The young panted heavily with his left arm dangling uselessly at his side, but seemed determined not to surrender.

"Is that...the best...you've got?" The hedgehog panted.

"I must say, you are a persistent one." A cold, drawling voice echoed. "But chosen, you are not. My brother was a fool to place so much faith in you."

"Instead of blabbing on all day, why don't we get back to the fight?" The hedgehog challenged.

"Such ignorance." The voice chuckled.

From within the endless shadows, a skeletal, black hand ornamented with five separate-colored rings emerged. The hand of the unseen giant crept closer to the hedgehog warrior, but his opponent was not willing to give up without a fight. Before the hand could close over its target, the hedgehog suddenly raced away in a blur of red and blue. The unseen giant scowled and followed the annoying rat with his eyes, never blinking in any case he missed something. After watching the supersonic warrior dodged across the buildings, the unknown entity determined the hedgehog's route and flashed one of his rings. The Shadow Ring glowed with an ominous orange light and released a circle of flames. The hedgehog warrior soon discovered that escape was futile as the fire ring landed on the ground and cut him off in every direction.

"Damn it!" The hedgehog yelled. "Every time I make a move, he's always one step ahead!"

"You should have realized you stood no chance." The enigmatic beast roared. "You are battling against one of the original two beings that created the universe. You may have been challenged by creatures that imitate gods, but I am a real one."

"I'm not going to give up!" The hedgehog growled. "Mythril said I was the one who would defeat you!"

"My brother has been turned to a simple mortal under my power." The shadowed creature stated calmly. "And with him out of the way, I will destroy this universe and start all over again. I will create a universe that thrives on eternal war. I will be invincible!"

"You'll never win!" The hedgehog yelled. "Not as long as there is a single trace of light in the hearts of people."

"Haven't you realized it by now?" The shadow cackled. "You and my brother are the last living creatures on this planet!"

With nowhere left to run, the hedgehog warrior was made an easy target for the unknown darkness. The skeletal hand reached out and grappled the hedgehog within his fist, crushing the small warrior painfully slow. The supersonic fighter was at a loss. The memories of his friends, family, and the woman he loved were all that he had left in this post-apocalyptic world. But even if the universe was doomed, he was not going to give the darkness the satisfaction of hearing him beg for mercy. The demon's four burning-red eyes narrowed down at the unwilling hedgehog.

"_Hard to believe that I would end up being the last hope of the universe._" The hedgehog thought. "_If it were my dad, that might be a little more understandable. My name is Rush the Hedgehog, or as Mythril calls me, the Chosen One. I suppose every story has to start somewhere. Mine began eighteen years ago – before I was even born._"

* * *

_---Flashback---_

The scene alternates to the planet Earth long before its ultimate destruction. By this time, eight years has already passed since the Dark Siege was defeated and Nazo's final attempt of conquest was thwarted. Peace finally flourished in the universe. The lands of the world had changed as the former destruction of the Mystic Ruins had been replaced by a coastal city. Most of the resources of the land were dependent on the water, much like its former homeland of South Island. As such, the new city was named South Kingdom under the guidance of their new ruler. And resting closest to the ocean was a pure-white stone castle with the ornamental symbol of the royal family: a crimson phoenix in a circle of flames.

"It's been a long time, buddy."

"Too long, old friend."

Within the dining room of the castle, two close friends were becoming reacquainted with one another. Sonic the Hedgehog had reached full maturity and has finally accepted his place as ruler of the kingdom. His cobalt fur had gained a lighter shade over the years, his quills stilled remained wild, and he had a deep scar on his left cheek. Unlike normal kings, Sonic was modest and did not like to flaunt his royalty. Instead, he just wore a sleeveless, red jacket with a golden zipper, red boots with white straps, a pair of white gloves, and a golden ring on his right ring finger.

His old friend, Miles "Tails" Prower – also know as Kyuta – had taken a drastic turn in his overall appearance. After much training with his relatives, Tails had finally gained his ninth tail. His yellow fur had turned to burning-orange, his eyes were permanently glaring-red, and four visible fangs were exposed from his lip. He wore black fighter's gi with the symbol of demon etched in red thread and was unable to wear shoes or gloves due to his sharp claws. Sonic and Tails were sitting directly across from each other while enjoying the warm soup provided by the castle's cook.

"So, what have you been up to lately, bro?" Sonic asked playfully.

"It's almost time for me to take the next step." Tails smirked. "In two more months, I will become the leader of the Kitsune Clan and thereby become representative of the demon population. I can already tell that its not going to be easy."

"Why not have Aura take the job?" Sonic suggested. "She is the oldest and has more experience with this stuff than you."

"I talked to them about that." Tails explained. "But they said the daughter of the current leader can only assume the role as long as the leader bares no son. It's a bit old fashion, but it's been a tradition since the beginning of the demon populace. But I don't think Aura minds. I don't think she'd like to uproot her family all of a sudden."

"She and Howl really hit it off." Sonic commented. "I heard you have a nephew now."

"He's name's Night." Tails smiled proudly. "He's going to be a great warrior like his parents." He spooned his soup, showing the nervous expression on his face. "You know, before I become ruler of the demons, there is something I would like to do." He stared back at Sonic, who silently told him to continue. "I want to ask Cream to become my mate."

"That's great, buddy!" Sonic shouted cheerily; Tails nearly choked in shock. "She's been waiting for the past eight years for you to pop the question!"

"But she's only fifteen and I'm seventeen." Tails said fearfully. "Don't you think it might be a bit too soon."

"I asked Amy to marry me when she was thirteen, remember." Sonic smirked challengingly. "I had just defeated the Six Paths of Pein and I died from using all my energy. After Naruto convinced Nagato to revive everyone, I saw Amy and asked her right on the spot."

"Yes, it was very romantic." A feminine voice called sarcastically.

Both friends turned in their seat as a well-known woman entered the dining room. Amy Rose had grown to be the envy of most women with her silky, pink fur, waist-length hair, and her overall attractive figure. At the moment, she only wore white gloves, white sandals, and a sky-blue gown used to conceal the large bulge in her stomach. Amy smiled shyly as her husbands oldest friend stared at the bulge and back to her.

"Amy, you look as beautiful as ever." Tails said honestly. "I can tell you're child is almost ready to be born."

"The doctor estimated it would be at least a week before he's due." Amy smiled before turning to her husband. "Sonic, shadow wants to talk to you about something urgent. He's waiting in the Entrance Hall with Metal."

"Thanks, Ames." Sonic nodded as he stood up. "Tails, I suggest you take the opportunity to take what you can before its gone."

"Got it, bro." Tails smirked.

The king of South Kingdom said he goodbyes to his wife and friend and made his way down the corridor. As he passed by, he took the time to check the scenery outside the castle's windows. It was hard to believe that in his short time as king that he was able to transfer his entire kingdom to the mainland without losing the trust of the people. Guess being and intergalactic hero has its benefits. It was a short trip to the entrance since Sonic wanted to arrange his home to where he could get to places in a minimal period of time – the other rooms were extra space. The first person he saw upon entering was his former rival, Metal Sonic, who looked the same as he did during the Dark War.

Shadow the Hedgehog had also changed very little, but there were some visible changes. He had a red scar over each of his eyes, his white chest hair was unkempt, and his left eye was green while the other remained blood-red. He wore white gloves with his inhibitor rings, white and red trimmed shoes, and a long grey coat with his Black Arms symbol woven in black thread. As always, Shadow seemed impassive to any emotion – everyone was used to this by now.

"Yo, Shad." Sonic greeted playfully. "Nice to see ya again. How's you're kid doing?"

"Shade is just fine." Shadow answered shortly. "But I did not come all this way to talk about children."

"Shadow says he has some new information about the recent attacks." Metal explained. "Our research has already told us that the attacks have been caused buy thirteen dragons, each presented with a different color and power. From their descriptions, they resemble the beasts you and Nazo used in the battle against Zeenint eight years ago."

"Chaos Spark, eh?" Sonic said thoughtfully. "Anything else we know?"

"The thirteen dragons have been in hibernation for the past eight years." Shadow continued. "We don't know why or how they were awakened, but they've been rampaging across the planet for the last three months. That is...until now."

"What happened?" Sonic asked.

"For some reason, the dragons have been disappearing without a trace." Shadow explained. "A number of reports explain that they have been seen attacking populated areas and then vanishing in explosions of light. After that, they're never seen again."

"Knuckles encountered the red dragon a week ago." Metal stated. "He fought bravely, but the beast was just too powerful for him to overcome. It seemed that the city was on the verge of destruction when the dragon suddenly vanished without warning. So far, there has been no explanation for these occurrences. But we feel that Blue and Tikal may have some involvement with these events as they have been spotted in every location the dragons have disappeared.

"What about the last one?" Sonic asked. "You said only twelve have disappeared."

"We have reason to believe the white dragon has gone into hiding." Shadow answered. "There is some evidence indicating that it's taken refuge somewhere on the former South Island. It must figure that with everyone gone, no one would dare disturb it there."

"Well, the farther it is away from my kingdom, the better." Sonic stated.

* * *

The scene alternates to the abandoned region of South Island. With all the island's inhabitants moved to the mainland, the forgotten rock was left to remain as the symbol of the kingdom's previous residence. No one would have ever guessed that it would become the sanctuary of a malevolent monster. As the waves crashed along the shoreline, the winds of the sea blew harshly against the sand, creating a miniature hurricane. A low growled mixed with the winds while its owner slithered across the beach and into the forest. The beast was a twenty-foot long serpentine dragon with pearl-white scales, silver gem-like plates on its chest, shoulders, and forehead, and a tuft of light-blue hair at the end of its tail. The white dragon took in the island's scent, attempting to search for something.

"Hmm..." The dragon hummed. "I can sense some very powerful energies, but they are faint. From what I can tell, they appear to be coming from the mainland." He sighed heavily and held his forehead. "My brothers and sisters were fools to challenge that creature head on. The best way to deal with an opponent like that is to retreat and find a countermeasure."

"You must be the brains of your siblings."

The white dragon hissed and turned the moment he smelled a powerful energy source nearby. The scaled beast turned his attention to the newcomer that appeared down the shore in a flash of green light. Blue, as the perfect clone of Chaos, greatly resembled his former predecessor, but wore a scarlet-red cloak with a golden falcon traced on the back. The white dragon slithered backwards in momentary fright until forcing himself to calm down. The guardian of the Master Emerald was impassive and watched the scaled beast with heated intensity.

"How did you find me so fast?" The white dragon questioned.

"The same way I found your brothers and sisters." Blue responded coolly. "There are only a select few that have power levels as high as yours, so narrowing them down was a simple matter. I used Chaos Control to transport myself to each available power source and hoped to get lucky."

"Such brilliance." The white dragon commented. "I wouldn't expect anything less from the Guardian of the Master Emerald. It does not surprise me that my siblings were unable to defeat you. But you can rest assured that I am not as narrow-minded as they were."

"You're the last one." Blue glared, moving into a fighter's position. "And then the curse of darkness will finally be lifted."

The white dragon hissed silently and stood firm against the miniscule water titan. He had known for a long time that a warrior's strength is not determined by their size – a lesson his brothers and sisters failed to learn. Blue foot edged closer toward the beast and, in a flash of blue light, dashed across the beach before the beast knew what happened. The white dragon grunted painfully as Blue's fists drilled into his abdomen and launched the lizard backwards into the forest. Trees snapped under the serpent's weight while a thunderous thud echoed across the island. The white dragon snapped his eyes opened and spotted Blue looming overhead with Chaos-charged fist pulled back. Fearing the outcome if the fist connected, the scaled beast opened its jaw and roared, unleashing powerful gust. Blue crossed his arms in defense as the wind impacted, throwing the aquatic clone back into the sand. Blue tumbled backwards, but managed to push himself back to his feet while the white dragon reached his full height.

"Very impressive." The white dragon complimented. "You gather energy in one point and release it all on impact, creating more damage. I believe that technique was crafted by Rector Rose, was it not?"

"Maybe." Blue said shortly.

"Quite the conversationalist." The white dragon said mockingly. "I always figured you as the talkative type."

"I know you are trying to distract me." Blue said seriously. "It won't work on me like it did last time."

The white dragon remained silent for a short moment and raised his arms towards the sky. In that one instant, Blue found an opening and thrusted both hands simultaneously to shoot a twin pair of Chaos Lances. The scaled beast snorted and swiftly swiped his tail in front, knocking the energy arrows back to their originator. Blue swiftly dropped to the sand, allowing both Chaos attacks to glide over him and explode in the waters behind. When looking back to his target, the aquatic guardian found his serpent opponent holding a compressed sphere of air.

"Water may be the source of life, but it is not eternal." The white dragon said darkly. "The air and wind will always exist...just as I shall."

"So I was right all along." Blue said calmly. "All of thirteen dragons – you and your siblings – you are all a part of him, aren't you. Even in death, he still finds a way to keep himself anchored to the living world."

"I am his essence incarnate." The white dragon proclaimed. "My brothers and sisters all share the connection and we shall not be broke. I know for a fact that you have been unable to kill them, only delay the inevitable. We are immortal."

"Some part of that may be true." Blue said seriously. "But in the end, we shall find a way to destroy you!"

The scaled behemoth screeched furiously and threw the aerial sphere ahead. Blue staggered backwards and scanned the sphere carefully, hoping to find a weakness. But just like Sonic, the attack was faster than the wind itself and dragged the aquatic warrior into its center. Typhoon winds coursed around him and the air felt like a hundred blades slashing in a multitude of directions. Piece by piece, Blue was ripped apart by the force of the gale until there was nothing left but a few small droplets splattered across the beach. The white dragon threw his hands apart, commanding the winds to stop blowing.

"He was a valiant warrior." The white dragon said respectfully. "He managed to defeat twelve of my siblings and lock them away. I am the last survivor of the Chaos Sparks, which is how it shall remain." The serpent turned to leave, but discover something was amiss – he couldn't move. "What is this?! What's happening?!"

"You're the last one."

The white dragon's eyes shot wide in horror. With a great deal of effort, he turned his head and faced the direction of the interloper. Imagine his surprise when he found Blue kneeling on the ground with his hands pressed into the sand. A white neon circle had formed from the place his claws rested and crafted a special seal that encased the serpent within its light.

"This can't be happening." The white dragon growled. "I had planned it all. How could I be defeated so easily?"

"Because the strength of the Master Emerald courses through me." Blue proclaimed. "Even if you are a part of his essence, you only contain an equal fraction of his power. He despised the Master Emerald so much because it was always superior to him."

"And what will you do now?" The white dragon questioned. "Even with this seal, there is no vessel to contain me. That is the reason I chose to escape to this island."

"You underestimate me." Blue chuckled challengingly. "As long as I can sense a suitable power source, the distance is made up by the amount of Chaos Energy I can distribute."

The white dragon knew this was the final act. With a forced grunt, the aquatic guardian pressed against the seal and shifted its color to a golden shade. The scaled beast stared down at his tail, watching as his body was slowly disintegrated into small fragments of white light. This was not over. Though the master of the winds accepted his defeat, he knew that one day he would be able to return once more. The white dragon closed his eyes and surrendered himself to the seal and his fragments were lifted into the clouds above. Once the dragon's essence had vanished from sight, Blue allowed himself to drop from exhaustion.

"I did all I could." Blue panted. "Sonic...I hope one day you will learn to forgive me."

* * *

"What is it, Ames?"

During that night, Sonic and Amy had left for bed, waiting the next day when they would say goodbye to Tails before he went to find Cream. During that time, Amy felt a sudden pain in her abdomen and shot up, screaming painfully. Being the self-aware hero he was, Sonic did what any average hero would have done: he fell out of bed and hit his head on the floor. Sonic groaned and soothed the red bump forming on his head while looking back to his wife with a worried expression. She seemed perfectly fine not, albeit sweating and panting heavily.

"You ok?" Sonic asked concerned. "What happened."

"I don't know." Amy replied uncertain. "For a minute, it felt like something happened to the baby. Almost as if a hurricane was blowing away and then it just disappeared."

"Are you sure you're not imagining it?" Sonic asked skeptically.

"I know my own body, Sonic the Hedgehog!!" Amy screamed shrilly.

"Hey, I thought you were past the mood swing stage!" Sonic shouted fearfully.

"Let's just go back to sleep." Amy said stubbornly, curling under the covers. "We're gonna want to be well rested when Tails leaves tomorrow and I don't want any bags under my eyes."

Sonic seemed like he had a retort waiting, but fear of the emotional woman made him hold his tongue. The cobalt hedgehog slowly set himself besides his wife, unconsciously wondering the condition of his child. In his mind, Sonic imagined that his son would become a great hero that the whole universe would come to look up to. He never realized how much his dream would become a reality.

"_Sleep well, little one._" The white dragon's voice echoed within the nexus. "_You may not realize it now, but you hold one of the keys to unlimited power. And in due time, I will take command of that power._"

* * *

**The stage is set for the next great adventure to begin. What could have happed to create such a dark future. Where did these thirteen dragon come from? And what will become of Sonic's child? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	2. Surprising Returns, Part 1

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Kingdom Hearts © Square Enix

Chapter One: Surprising Returns, Part 1

Twelve years have passed since the sudden disappearance of the thirteen dragons, or as Sonic called them, Chaos Sparks. No one found out what had occurred between Chaos and the dragons, but Shadow has been suspicious of his action. At the moment, the scene opens to the grassy plains of Kingdom Valley as the night sky flourished with stars. The animals of the lands were going about their business, not even taking notice to the red and blue blur sweeping through the fields. The unknown creature dashed through the tall grass and stopped on top of a smooth boulder and looked down the hillside. A city skies were lit with an array of colored fireworks, which reflected against the glistening canals between the streets

"So that's Soleanna, eh?" The creature said eagerly. "Look's like they're having a party. I'm sure they won't mind if I join in on the fun."

And with that, the young speedster zoomed off in the direction of Soleanna.

* * *

"Why do I have to be here?" A boy moaned irritably. "I don't even like celebrating this holiday."

"Aw, come on." A girl said encouragingly. "It'll be fun, I promise."

The male of the two children shook his head and sighed, not believing a word. Two twins, both around their mid-teens, were gliding down the central canal of Soleanna with their mother, watching the happy citizens cheer happily. Queen Elise the III waved lightly to her people, but couldn't suppress the disappointment towards her son. Why couldn't he act more like his sister? Soleanna was once again celebrating the Sun Festival for their god, Solaris, despite Elise's personal dislike of the Flames of Disaster. She looked back at her children with mixed feelings.

To Elise's right was her daughter, Princess Elise the IV, or better known as Eli. She was so much like her mother – she had shoulder-length, red hair and the same shimmering blue eyes as her father. She wore a silky, white dress with thread stretched across the neckline and shoulders, a pair of pure-white sandals, and crown made of ivy leaves. She was waving merrily to the people, seeming to find joy in their happy faces. Eli had always been considerate to others over herself – she was the perfect angel.

And then there was her twin brother. Zed had tried his hardest to segregate himself from the rest of his family, much to his parent's displeasure. He was tall and firmly toned like his father was with crimson-red hair that spiked backwards. He didn't even try to dress formally for the occasion. He wore a pair of black pants held by a grey belt, a black shirt, a flowing grey coat with the Soleanna symbol sown in the back with red thread, black/white shoes, and a silver chains necklace. The redheaded boy held a continuous scowl at sneered at the cheering citizens.

"Zed, could you at least act like you're proud to be here." Elise sighed. "As a prince, you are supposed to assure your people and make them trust you."

"I'm wasting my time here." Zed growled. "Why couldn't I go with dad to meet grandpa? At least then I could be spending my time doing something worthwhile?"

"Like researching on those Wraith things?" Eli giggled; Zed glowered. "You keep try to find something that to prove that they exist and even did research on that Orphius guy. I just think its all make-believe."

"No one asked for your opinion, brat!" Zed hissed.

"That's enough, Zed." Elise said strictly; Zed turned his back to his sister. "Just try to act polite until the festival is over. Then we can talk to your father about your attitude."

Zed crossed his arms and muttered a select choice of words under his breath – Elise was going to punish him for that, too. The gondola stopped at the central alter of the city, where the statue of Solaris had been prepared. Elise, with her children following, stepped up the stairway, where a man cloak in a black robe held a flaming torch. A sense of nostalgia washed over the queen. It was hard to believe that Metal Sonic had secretly slipped into the festival over twenty years ago. Times had changed dramatically.

"We give thanks to these blessed flames!" Elise recited to her people. "May we always continue to have he peace. Sun of Soleanna, guide and watch over us with your eternal light."

The queen of Soleanna had to agree with Zed's disapproval for the crowds scream of joy. When would they realize what a terrible beast Solaris was? Elise merely sighed and placed the torch at the statues feet, igniting a trail of black powder. The flames traveled up the statues body and exploded into a monumental torch, completing the celebration.

"It's always lovely." Eli smiled.

"Whatever." Zed grunted.

"For some reason, this scene seems familiar." Elise said aloud.

"You don't know how right you are, my dear cousin-in-law."

Queen Elise staggered backwards, nearly falling off the steps of the alter if Zed hadn't been quick to catch her. Eli ducked behind her mother as her twin jumped between them and the intruder. The man seemed impassive at the display and held his hand into view, snapping his fingers sharply. Sparks of white light exploded around the alter and the city, summoning samurai warriors with silver skin. The city was thrown into a panic as the Samurais began their assault and sent the crowd scattering through the streets and canals. Zed held his fists and raised them into a fighter's stance as the enigmatic intruder stepped forward, allowing himself to be seen in the light of the flames.

Despite being a Nobody, Kai Robotnik had matured during his many years of hiding. His silvery-blue hair reached down to his waist and was restrained by four silver bands with four bangs curved over his forehead. He wore a sleeveless, black shirt with a violet-purple vest, a pair of navy-blue jeans, a tan pouch strapped to his hip, a pair of grey/silver sneakers, and Nobody Necklace. Kai was as impassive as ever.

"Elise, is this anyway to greet family?" Kai questioned sarcastically.

"Kai..." Elise glared.

"Mama, who is that?" Eli asked innocently, pointing to the Nobody.

"Elise, I'm hurt." Kai said mockingly. "You haven't told them about me. Then allow me to handle the introductions." He bowed ceremoniously. "I am Kai Robotnik, the last of the Nobodies, and the distant cousin of your dear father."

"Finally, some excitement." Zed said eagerly.

"Why are you attack our city?" Elise questioned.

"We don't need to answer to you."

The voice sent chills down the queen's spine – the teenagers were confused by this. The long-haired Nobody stood to the side and kneeled as his master appeared from the shadows. Naga the Snake looked just as ominous as he had during the Dark Siege's temporary reign. His deep-green scales were murky, his fangs reached past his lower lip, and his piercing-gold eyes were malevolent-red. We wore a violet, long-sleeved gi, a pair of violet slacks, and black sandals with matching fingerless gloves. His gi was opened at the chest, revealing the Heartless symbol tattooed on his chest.

"Queen Elise the III..." Naga hissed. "A pleasure to meet you once again."

"As queen of this city, I command you to leave at once, Naga!" Elise stated firmly.

"You have no authority in this situation." Naga chuckled darkly. "All your men are being distracted by our Nobodies – you have no soldiers to defend you."

"Who says I need defending!" Zed yelled.

Against the warnings made by the females, the prince of Soleanna dashed forward with his fist pulled back. He threw a punch to Naga's smirking face, but Kai jumped forward and stopped the boys attack with his palm. Though he was safe from danger, the venomous snake still flinched as the backlash of the impact still reached him. Knowing he wouldn't be able to fight unless he passed Kai, Zed brought his knee up to the Nobody's chest. However, Kai effortlessly blocked it with his shin and counterattacked by slamming the boy with the back of his fist. Zed staggered backwards, wiping away the blood escaping from his lip.

"Zed!" Eli cried fearfully.

"This boy is something." Naga hisses pleasingly. "He already as strong as his father was at that age. However, he lacks the proper form and technique to hone that strength. He should be no contest compared to you, Kai."

"Of course not, my lord." Kai replied.

"I'll show you not to underestimate me!" Zed screamed furiously.

The redheaded fighter threw out his arms in either direction and surprised his opponents as a culmination of red Chaos formed in his hands. And in rapid succession, Zed thrust his palms forward and released a blinding barrage of Chaos waves. The horde of energy strikes collided with one another in the spot where Kai and his master stood, fragmenting the stone floor. Once believing he had nailed his target, Zed ended his assault and panted tiredly. The dust floated around the air and Eli bravely stepped past her mother to help Zed stand.

"Did you get him?" Eli asked worried, lifting her brother's arm.

"Unfortunately not."

The teenaged children had no time to react. Kai appeared by their side, completely untouched, and delivered a powerful blow to Zed's neck. While her twin brother was tossed to the ground, Eli found herself being lifted off the ground by the back of her dress. Elise cried and tried to help them, but Naga dropped from the sky and blocked her path – he hissed hungrily.

"How unfortunate is it?" Naga chuckled devilishly. "To lose both your children and your city all in one hour?"

"What do you want, Naga." Elise asked tearfully. "I'll give you anything. Just don't hurt my children and these innocent people."

"Oh, we don't need your help for what we're after." Naga stated. He brushed a loose hair out of her face; Elise shivered involuntary at his cold touch. "Once we the news of Soleanna's destruction spreads, he'll come to us soon enough. He has never been one to turn down a challenge."

"What shall we do with them?" Kai questioned, holding Eli into view.

"We have no use for them." Naga shrugged.

At those words, Kai reached into his pouch and retrieved a silver knife. At the sight of the sharp tool, Eli tried squirming free from his hold. But the Nobody's grip was firm and he slowly raised the blade closer to the girl's neck. Elise was only able to watch with tears streaking down her face and Zed was too weak to pull himself off the ground. And in one sharp movement, Kai stabbed his blade to the princess's neck – blood was splattered across the ground. Kai's eyes were wide in bewilderment once realizing that it wasn't the girl's blood that had been spilled. The long-haired Nobody was stunned by the sudden intrusion and did nothing to defend himself as the new opponent drill his fist into Kai's face. Naga looked back darkly as his most trusted follower was tossed across the canal and into the walls. Eli dropped momentarily with her eyes closed, but was lifted up once again as a pair of protective arms carried her.

"Are you ok, Eli."

"Daddy?" Eli gasped as she opened her eyes.

Rai Robotnik smiled down at his daughter and lower her to stand on her feet. Rai had definitely grown in the past twenty years, both in size and maturity. His muscles were finely toned, his burning-orange hair spiked in every possible direction, and had shimmering-blue eyes that he passed down to his children. He wore a sleeveless, black shirt with a golden dragon stitched in the back, a pair of dark-blue pants, black boots with yellow straps, and a pair of fingerless black gloves. Rai smiled kindly at his daughter before walking over and kneeling to his son.

"He, little man." Rai said jokingly. "How are ya holding up?"

"I...fine..." Zed groaned weakly. "I can...still...fight..."

"I'm sure you can." Rai said in a misbelieving tone. "But why don't you let your old man take over for now." The elder warrior turned and glared at Naga, who returned his stare with amusement. "I thought I saw the last of you after Pein was defeated. You have some nerve attacking my family after all the pain you have caused me." His hand twitched closer to his neck. "I still bare the scars of your twisted experiments."

"You have grown, Rai." Naga hissed. "But your mind is still lost in the tragedies of your past. Are you still crying for the mother you never knew? Do you still hate me for taking her life away moments after your birth?"

"You sadistic bastard." Rai growled.

"Lord Naga." The malevolent serpent turned to his faithful follower, who was kneeling before him. The long-haired Nobody seemed relatively unharmed. "I have an unfinished matter with my cousin that must be settled.

"Do as you wish." Naga hissed monotonously, turning his back. "But don't play with your food, Kai. We have a busy schedule and you know I despise waiting."

The long-haired Nobody bowed his head and wiped away from existence instantly. Rai, having experience fighting creatures with this speed, opened his sense and dropped forward to the ground. Kai reappeared and swiped a kick at the back of his cousin's head at the very same time he ducked away. Opening finding an open point, the redheaded warrior leaned towards his right side and thrusted his foot upwards. Kai glared darkly as he curved backwards, barely avoid the strike. But just when he thought he was safe, Rai swiped his other leg across the ground and knocked Kai from behind. The long-haired Nobody was able to push his hands off the ground and back flip to his feet. An the moment he touched down, Kai swiftly reached into his pouch and tossed six daggers in one throw. Reacting upon instinct, Rai pressed his palm and unleashed a pulse of pure energy, stopping the daggers in midair and watching them clatter on the ground.

"Is that all you got, cuz." Rai smirked victoriously. "You must be getting slow in your old age."

"Kai, what is taking you so long?" Naga questioned impatiently.

"Forgive me, Lord Naga." Kai said apologetically. "But he is more powerful than the last time we met."

"Either finish this ordeal or I'll finish you, Kai." Naga growled.

"As you wish...my lord." Kai said strained; a sharp hiss passed through his clenched teeth.

The long-haired Nobody jabbed his hands into the pouch and retrieved two three-pronged kunai from its depths. With a quick hand, Kai dashed in front of his redheaded cousin and swiped across his chest. However, Rai had already taken flight into the air and remained suspended above them by ten feet. Kai watched his cousin as the redhead cupped his palms back in a familiar fashion – a collection of blue Chaos was forming in his hands.

"Time to bring back an old school favorite!" Rai shouted eagerly. "**Ka-me-ha-me-ha!!**"

The elder warrior thrusted his hands forward, expelling a thick stream of energy. It was clear that Rai had repressed the destruction of the blast as his children were only feet from his target. Without a heart, Kai showed no expression of worry or concern, which came as a great benefit. The long-haired Nobody gripped his kunai and threw them directly into the wave's path. And to Rai's shock, the small metal weapons completely absorbed the energy he deposited and continued in their flight. The redheaded warrior raised his forearms in defense and the kunai made their marks in his arms. Rai panted heavily, ignoring the stinging and cupped his hands for another strike.

"I think that will do it." Naga interrupted, jumped in from of his servant. "You have already lost this match."

"What are you talking about?" Rai questioned sternly.

"Take a better look at your surroundings." Naga suggested.

Rai was uncertain if this was a trick or not, but curiosity got the better of him. He realized he had been beaten for a while. The Samurai Nobodies had left their attack on the city and surrounded Elise, Eli, and Zed with their swords drawn. Just one false move would lead to an instant loss of his family.

"You have already lost your mother." Naga stated. "I don't think we need to add more tragedies to your family line."

"Damn you, Naga." Rai growled defeated as he landed.

"There was no need for you to interfere, my lord." Kai said irritably. "I could have defeated him without the assistance of the Nobodies."

"Could you?" Naga glowered silently. "Even with your speed and merciless experience, I am beginning to doubt you have the will to kill your own relative. If you had been fighting seriously, none of them would be alive."

Kai's eyes narrowed dangerously and his fists were shaking uneasily. How dare this serpent claim he was weak when he has been hiding in the background while his soldier did the dirty work for him? It was then that Kai realized something unusual about himself. Was he experiencing...anger? The long-haired Nobody brushed this off as the Samurais surrounded his cousin with their swords circling his neckline. Soleanna's greatest defense had fallen. Or had it? Without warning, a great gale of wind circled around the statue, catching the Nobodies off guard. Once they were properly distracted, a blue and red blur swiped past the Samurais surrounding Rai and obliterated them from existence. Rai, finally catching on, laughed victoriously as the blur moved on to the rest of his family.

"Ooh, you're in for it now." Rai laughed.

Naga and his follower jumped back-to-back as the enigmatic light brushed past their soldiers, destroying them one by one.

"Is it him, Kai?" Naga questioned.

"No, it's not him." Kai responded. "These movements are too slow to be his."

"Damn it." Naga cursed angrily. "I was hoping he would show once he knew his friends were in danger. But if that is the case, who is this interloper?" He directed his voice to the passing blur. "We know you're not Sonic the Hedgehog! Show yourself immediately!"

"Well, since you asked so nicely."

The blinding blur struck the remaining Samurais and skipped off the ground and towards the pinnacle of the Solaris statue. The unknown creature lost his light, revealing a red and blue ball that uncurled upon landing. Heroes and villains stared at the creature as he turned around and struck a dramatic pose. He was a cobalt-blue hedgehog with seven curved, red-tipped quills and two bangs jutting from his forehead. He wears red shoes with black straps and golden buckles, plain white gloves with golden ring bracelets, and a necklace made from bright-colored seashells.

"And who are you?" Kai questioned. "You look similar to Sonic the Hedgehog and have his gifted wind-speed."

"My dad may be as fast as the wind, but I _am_ the wind!" The hedgehog proclaimed excitedly. "Evildoers, beware! There's a new hero on the block! And his name is Rush the Hedgehog!!"

Rai and his family looked at one another with awkward confusion and the two villains gave short glances to one another. Only the crackling fire and the chirping crickets broke the silence until...

"Do you know how much you look like an idiot?" Zed said bluntly.

"Wow, tough crowd." Rush mumbled.

* * *

**A new hero has risen to defend his world! Will Rush's speed be enough to defeat an ancient evil? Why have Naga and Kai suddenly reappeared after twenty years? What new adventures await? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	3. Surprising Returns, Part 2

****

Sonic Rush: Next Generation

Kingdom Hearts © Square Enix

Chapter Two: Surprising Returns, Part 2

The scene returns to the city of water, Soleanna, during the Festival of the Sun. Unfortunately, the festival was put off by Naga's unwanted intrusion with his army of Nobodies at his command. The Heartless serpent had maintained control over the battle until a whirlwind of blue and red had decimated his forces, revealing itself to be the son of Sonic: Rush the Hedgehog. The young hero stood at the top of Solaris' stature, positioned in a dramatic pose, and grinned deviously to the confused group below him. Rush thought himself to be awe-inspiring until...

"Do you know how much you look like an idiot?" Zed said bluntly.

"Wow, tough crowd." Rush mumbled.

"Kai, who is this meddlesome child?" Naga questioned, turning to his servant.

"He claimed that he was faster than his father." Kai answered. "My only guess is that he is the child of Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Sonic had a son, did he?" Naga said interestingly, stroking his chin. "Well, it has been twenty years since we have heard any word of that blue annoyance. The last time we have made contact, he had died after defeating the Six Paths of Pein. I suppose we're a little behind the times."

"Hey, are you gonna talk to yourself all day?!" Rush shouted challengingly. "Or are you gonna fight?!"

"Don't bother wasting our time." Naga hissed lowly. "We attacked Soleanna in hopes of drawing the attention of Sonic the Hedgehog. It has been so many years since my greatest experiment has returned to me. And yet..." His golden eyes made contact with Rush's. "He sends his only son. He must have great confidence in you."

"Actually, he doesn't even know I'm here." Rush smirked eagerly. "I was just got finished delivering a package to Jet the Hawk and had a little free time. So, I decided to spend a little time at the Sun Festivals and look what I find." He was body was trembling excitedly. "Finally, my chance to prove that I'm a better hero than my dad."

"There is a big difference between yourself and your father." Naga proclaimed.

"What's that?" Rush growled.

"Your father is more observant." Naga stated.

Before the young hedgehog could contemplate his words, he felt something close over his ankle. He turned and looked – Naga's right hand had trapped him. While none of the heroes were looking, the Heartless serpent had slithered his hand back into the water and secretly slipped behind the Solaris statue. Rush tried to pull his leg back, but Naga's grip was too strong as the Heartless serpent snapped his lengthy arm into the air. The red and blue hedgehog was tossed back and forth through the black sky and was released in the direction of the ground. Rai clenched his fist in spite, watching the young warrior crash through one of the shop walls across the shrine.

"You heartless monster." Rai growled.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Kai said, drawing two knives. "Master, if Sonic isn't coming, then do we have any use for this city."

"I disapprove of your thirst for revenge." Naga said monotonously. "But it appears these worthless humans will no be enough to draw Sonic's attention. They hold no value."

"That's all I needed to hear." Kai said.

The long-haired Nobody stepped forward, drawing more knives until he had three in each hand. Rai stood protectively in front of his family – Eli was hiding behind Elise and Zed was struggling just to stay on his feet. Kai clicked his blades together rhythmically, creating an eerie echo, and Rai cupped his hand together in preparation for another wave. But soon enough, he found that he didn't need it. Without warning, a sphere of red and blue zipped across the water and landed a powerful blow in the back of Kai's head. Though the impact was not enough to knock the long-haired Nobody off his feet, it had forced his to drop his weapons and leave him disoriented. The twin-colored ball uncurled to reveal Rush the Hedgehog, who skipped forward upon touching ground. The young hero headbutted Kai in the chest, sending his sprawling back to his master's feet.

"Hmm..." Naga hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps I underestimated his power."

"You didn't underestimate anything, my lord." Kai sighed, standing once again. "He just caught me off guard while I was distracted by Rai. If there is anything he has learned from his father, its deception."

"Hey, I don't need tricks to beat you losers." Rush stated confidently.

The twin-colored hedgehog was rather arrogant in Rai's opinion – that would prove to be his greatest weakness. Rush, using his inherited speed, dashed across the platform and performed a drop kick over Kai's head. The long-haired Nobody stared at the hedgehog with an emotionless expression and blurred out of sight before Rush could make contact. The twin-colored hedgehog stopped in his tracks – shock and disbelief filled his mind. And at that moment, Kai reentered the realm of existence and kicked Rush in his spine, pushing him close to the platform edge. The young hero struggled to keep himself balanced on the edge and safely staggered backwards away from the water. He barely turned in time to dodge one of Kai's flying daggers.

"Hey, watch where you're throwing those!" Rush screamed angrily. "Someone could get hurt!"

"That's the point." Kai stated. He tossed a second set of daggers and Rush was forced to sidestep and jump to avoid them. "I noticed that you are scared of falling into the water. If my analysis is correct, you unable to withstand aquatic depths."

"You lost me after analysis." Sonic said confused, curling to duck another dagger.

On the other side of the platform, Rai growled disdainfully at the display. Though he had no heart, Kai was enjoying his little game of watching Rush dodge for his life. Growing frustrated, the elder warrior cupped his palms and brought them back to his waist.

"I've had enough of this!" Rai growled. "**Ka-me-ha-me...!**"

"That would be unwise."

The collection of blue Chaos Rai had gathered dissolved as the elder warrior turned back to his family. Zed was lying on the ground under Naga's foot while Eli and Elise were restrained by the serpent's extended arms. The redheaded fighter was forced to drop his position, especially with Naga's fang's so close to his wife's neck.

"This is a battle between them." Naga hissed malevolently. "And that is how it will be settled."

"Let them go, Naga!" Rai demanded.

"Let's make a deal, shall we?" Naga chuckled darkly. "If that hedgehog somehow manages to defeat Kai, I will release your family and leave this city, never to return. But if I win, you and your family becomes a meal for my lovely Nagini."

"How can I trust you?" Rai said suspiciously.

"You've known me long enough, Rai Robotnik." Naga grinned victoriously. "I am a man of my word."

Though he was revered as the coldest villain on Earth, Naga was also know for keeping his promises – a trait you don't find in an average villain. Rai sighed in defeat and watched the battle progressed, leaving the fate of his family in the hands of the twin-colored hedgehog. He was screwed. Rush the Hedgehog had been continually dodging Kai's assaults for the past three minutes and the long-haired Nobody was nowhere short of stopping. The twin-colored hedgehog was getting better at dodging, but he was slowly inching towards the water's edge. It wouldn't be long enough until he would fall in.

"Ok, this was not how I planned to fight my first villain." Rush commented, looking over his shoulder. "You know, I always figured it would be mom's hammer that would do me in."

"You're very skilled at dodging." Kai complimented. "But not even your father can avoid this!"

The long-haired Nobody thrusted his hand into his vest and withdrew a thick scroll, which unfolded immediately. The scroll was swiped across the air, revealing hundreds of kanji repeating the same word: blade. With a single command of Kai's thoughts, the seals exploded and formed a wall of silver-bladed daggers. Rush was now caught between two unfortunate circumstances: drown in the water or be stabbed to death. The twin-colored hedgehog did not like either option and decided to follow his natural instincts, which lead him to curl into his ball form. Kai smirked with the knowledge of knowing Rush's imminent defeat. Imagine his surprise when the army of silver knives reflected off the hedgehog's spherical form, which had gained an aura of white Chaos. Kai and his watchers were thrown off guard by Rush's sudden power upgrade – even Naga found it difficult to accept the information.

"That's impossible." Naga gasped defiantly. "Sonic couldn't even avoid that without resorting to his Super Form."

"_This is unreal._" Rai thought shockingly. "_This kid's power level just spiked dramatically. He's probably just as powerful as Knuckles was twenty years ago._"

"How..." Kai stammered. "How is that possible?"

Without warning, the glowing sphere exploded off the ground and swiped across the air faster than the eye could see. Kai was stunned by the sudden change and left himself completely open for attack. The glowing sphere bashed into the long-haired Nobody's abdomen, lifting him off his feet and throwing the warrior off the platform. Naga and the humans gazed on in fascination while Kai was thrown through not just one, but four buildings. The long-haired Nobody could be seen lying in the distance, barely conscious on the pile of rubble.

"Truly fascinating." Naga hissed interestingly. "Not many can survive a battle against Kai, let alone win."

"Looks like he's down for the count." Rush grinned, landing poised at Rai's side. "That only leaves you, ugly."

"Rush has beaten your greatest fighter, Naga." Rai stated firmly. "Let my family go and leave Soleanna forever."

"As you say." Naga nodded. The venomous snake kicked Zed across the platform and threw Eli and Elise into Rai's arms. "I no longer need this city to attract Sonic's attention. In fact..." His gaze shifted to Rush, who was sticking his tongue out childishly. "I think I found what I need for a new experiment."

With all things said, Naga jumped to the rooftops and made his way to the direction to the outskirts of the water city. Along the way, the Heartless serpent extended his arm to retrieve his long-haired servant and disappeared over the horizon.

"Yeah, you better run!" Rush shouted tauntingly. "Now you know better than to mess with Rush the Hedgehog, the worlds greatest hero!"

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Rush!" Eli cheered happily, hugging the hedgehog affectionately. "You were amazing! Even Zed couldn't last five minutes against them!"

"I wore them down." Zed said feebly.

While his wife was trying to calm the children down, Rai gazed at the twin-colored hedgehog with peaked interest. For that one instant, Rush's power level rivaled even his own. But now, the hedgehog's power had dwindled back to its standard amount. Where did Rush gain that sudden increase in power? And what happened to the white aura of Chaos that had surrounded him? The elder warrior was certain that he did not inherit it from Sonic or Amy.

"_Maybe there is something they aren't telling me._" Rai thought. "_I wonder what dad has to say about this._"

* * *

The scene shifts to the outskirts of the city towards the direction of the snowy mountains overlooking Soleanna. Samurais and Dusks hissed and growled against the frigid winds, but stood firm in compliance with their master's wishes. Naga the Snake and Kai Robotnik were sitting cross-legged in the snow, unaffected by the chilly atmosphere. Only an hour has passed since the battle, but the scars of the memory still haunts Naga's faithful servant. The long-haired warrior closed is fist in the snow- his fist shaking with rage.

"I don't understand it." Kai murmured spitefully. "How could a simple child defeat me? Have I become weak?"

"If anyone has become weak, it would be Sonic and his companions." Naga proclaimed. "Their skills have softened during these times of peace, leaving them vulnerable to our power."

"That's why you wanted to find Sonic in the first place, isn't it?" Kai asked.

"That is part of the reason." Naga replied. "My true reason for drawing him out is to gain the blood of the Black Arms. I want to learn more of their secrets and Sonic was fused with Shadow's DNA during the time when I experimented on him. I saw this as an opportunity."

"But Black Arm blood would be thin within Sonic." Kai stated certainly. "Shadow, on the other hand, is the child of Black Doom. Wouldn't it have been more prudent to search for him instead?"

"Of anyone, I am certain Shadow's powers have not faded." Naga hissed in response. "He was designed to be a warrior with eternal life and his only purpose was to become the strongest. Even in times of peace, Shadow would adapt and grow more powerful." He stared at his palm in intrigue. "But right, the Black Arms to not concern me."

"We both wish to learn what makes that hedgehog so special." Kai said monotonously.

"And we cannot enter Soleanna's boarders any longer." Naga glowered. "Send the Wanderers."

* * *

The scene alternates farther north of the city of water, which was undergoing immediate repairs from Naga's invasion. After recovering from the Dark Rulers and the Dark Siege, they were prepared for such an occasion. Meanwhile, Rush was invited by Elise to join them at their castle in the hillside above Soleanna. Soldiers and servants alike bowed in respect as Elise, accompanied by Rush and her children, moved through the halls of the castle. Eli seemed giddy to be at Rush's side, who was blushing red with embarrassment, but Zed held the perpetual scowl on his face.

"Your face is going to freeze like that." Rush laughed.

"Shut up, rat." Zed spat rudely. "You've already saved the day. Why don't you go crawl under a rock?"

"Don't worry about it." Eli smiled teasingly. "He's just mad because Uncle Kai kicked his butt in two seconds. He's jealous of you, Rush."

"I am not jealous of this damn rodent!!" Zed screamed, grabbed his twin by her shirt.

"Zed Elizabeth Robotnik!" Elise berated sternly; Rush and Eli laughed behind their hands. "That is not the proper way to act in front of a guest! Especially one that just saved our lives."

"Mom, don't say the 'E' word." Zed mumbled defeated as he walked away.

"Man, I've got to feel sorry for him." Rush chuckled playfully. It took a few short moments before he realized that one of their members has disappeared. "By the way, whatever happened to your husband, what's-his-name?"

"Rai..." Elise emphasized, staring at the hedgehog remedially. "...went to see his father about something important. Though I don't understand what Dr. Eggman has to do with Naga or Kai."

"Hold up!" Rush exclaimed surprisingly. "Rai's dad is _the_ Dr. Eggman?! My dad told me hundred of stories about how they both fought over the planet and even created weird machines that nearly took my dad out!" His eyes gained a starry appearance, which scared the female partially. "Wow! Do you think he would fight me?!"

"Dr. Eggman has given up is terrible ways." Elise said, sweat-dropping. "He's now working for G.U.N. as their chief researcher and development."

"Ohh..." Rush moaned. "How am I going to be a big hero like my dad if there aren't any villains around to fight?"

"Maybe something will hit you." Eli shrugged.

Her words were proven to be true in more way than one. While the twin-colored was hanging his head sadly, a vortex of white and grey ripped open on the opposite wall. A fives blurs of white light lashed across the corridor, striking Rush in five separate directions – claw marks ripped across his body. Elise pulled back her daughter safely as Rush struggled to push to his knees when he spotted his swift attackers. They were Nobodies that no one had ever seen before. They were tall and lengthy like Neoshadows, but their skin was silver-white and held jagged antennas, flexible claws, and zippers over their mouths. The symbol of the Nobodies was present on their foreheads. The unknown Nobodies lowered themselves until they were on all fours, giving Rush the chance to jump back to his feet.

"Wow, that wishing thing really works." Rush smiled eagerly, raising his fists. "Now all I need is a plate of chili dogs and everything would be perfect."

"Be careful, Rush!" Eli cried pleadingly.

"Relax." Rush waved nonchalantly. "What's the worse these guys can...?"

The twin-colored hedgehog was unable to finish his sentence once one of the Nobodies headbutted his stomach. Rush staggered backwards weakly, bending over to hold the place where he was struck. It was true that he may have been distracted at the time, but he would have heard the creature's movements. No taking anymore chances, the young hero positioned himself to fight, awaiting the Nobodies next attack. The leader of the group growled and lowered itself closer to the floor – that was the last Rush saw him before the creature vanished. Rush scanned the corridor and suddenly caught sight of a white/grey vortex forming on the wall. The twin-colored hedgehog jumped to the side at the moment the Nobody emerged and kicked forward to deliver and counterstrike. But before he could even land a hit, two more Nobodies jumped between them and slashed their claws across Rush's chest. The young hero was tossed backwards at Elise and Eli's feet, barely finding the strength to lift his head.

"Haven't you ever heard of a fair fight?" Rush moaned.

And with that, the twin-colored hedgehog passed out. Eli had tears in her eyes as the Nobodies approach her newest friend, each one lifting the hedgehog off the ground.

"Leave him alone!" Eli shouted, charging after them.

"Eli, stop!" Elise shouted worried.

The leader Nobody stopped and turned back while his squadron formed a vortex against the wall. It's focus was on the redheaded girl trying to stop them. It could sense that the girl had equal power to her brother, but it was untouched and unfocused. Without even trying, the Nobody backhanded Eli, sending her sliding back into her mother's arms.

"Eli, are you all right?" Elise gasped.

"What about Rush?" Eli moaned weakly.

The queen of Soleanna said nothing, and diverted her daughter's attention away from the defeated hedgehog. Rush remained unconscious in the hands of the Nobodies and was carried through the unknown vortex, vanishing from their sight.

* * *

**A proud victory that ends in a sorrowful defeat. What interest does Naga have in Sonic's son? Will anyone be able to save him? And where did Rush receive his sudden boost in power? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	4. Surprising Returns, Part 3

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Kingdom Hearts © Square Enix

Chapter Three: Surprising Returns, Part 3

The scene opens in the sea of clouds twenty miles south of Soleanna's boarders. The sound of roaring engines scattered away the flying flocks of birds and the sun reflected off the polished surface. A silvery-white fighter jet soared through the sky with the name "X Tornado" flashing close to the nose of the ship. The pilot maintained an expert control over the vessel while shaking her head to the beat of the radio, humming along with the lyrics.

"And that was Cream the Rabbit with her latest hit single." The DJ announcer said. "Next, Stacy will be here to explain the recent events in Soleanna with stories of a slimy snake and a whacked out hedgehog."

"A whacked out hedgehog." The pilot, a female, chuckled as she shut off the radio. "That can only be Rush. I wonder what he did this time, Cherry.

In the backseat of the cockpit, the wild animal was bouncing on the interior leather with excitement. The creature was a full-grown Chao with an unusual cherry-red skin tone, a set of angel wings, and a sky-blue halo. Once being addressed by his master, the abnormal Chao floated overhead and hovered in front.

"Chao, chao, chao!" Cherry the Chao chirped.

"No, I don't think he knocked over and snow cone...this time." The pilot said jokingly. "From the sound of it, he went to fight that snake in Soleanna. And seeing as he was supposed to be home four hours ago, my guess is that he was capture. Mr. Sonic going to be mad, but Mrs. Amy is going to be furious. Remember what happened last time Rush ran off without permission?"

"Chao..." Cherry shivered fearfully.

"Yeah, so we better find out where he is before she goes on a rampage." The pilot said.

The pilot of the gifted aircraft tapped a sequence of buttons, opening a small cartridge to her left. She reached over to her right for a rack of test tubes, each containing a single hair, and retrieved the one labeled 'Rush the Hedgehog'. She placed the blue hair into the cartridge and a computer screen appeared on the windshield. It first showed Rush's picture before transforming into a map with a blinking dot.

"Subject: Rush the Hedgehog – detected." The computer announced. "Location: confirmed – 15 mile east of northeast."

"Hmm...He's somewhere in the mountains just outside of Soleanna." The pilot analyzed thoughtfully. "Well, it looks like we have to save his tail again, Cherry."

"Chao, chao!" Cherry shouted in salute.

With her destination in mind, the young pilot activated the jet thruster and blurred across the sky.

* * *

"Ugh...What hit me last night?"

The scene had alternated to a dark and isolated room in an unknown location, which was the last place Rush wanted to be. The twin-colored hedgehog had awakened from his forced state of sleep and found himself unable to move as freely as before. And upon further examination he sharply realized that he was lying on a slab of metal – his arms and legs were restrained to the surface. A normal individual would have realized they were captured, but that never stopped Rush from trying to break free. The young hero struggled for a period of ten minutes until loosing breath – he went back at it two minutes later.

"It is pointless to resist." The twin-colored hedgehog turned his head towards the direction of Kai, who had emerged from the shadows. "Those bonds are made from adamantium steel, the strongest metal on the planet – completely unbreakable."

"So you gonna tell me where I am?" Rush asked curiously.

"You are in Lord Naga's research facility." Kai answered.

And with a snap of the Nobody's fingers, the lights kicked on automatically in the room, partially blinding the new heroes. When Rush regained his sense of sight, he was given a visible display of the experimental room. The walls were painted white mixed with black thorns and the symbol of the Heartless and Nobodies on opposite walls. However, a third symbol was printed on the ceiling, which Rush didn't recognized. A sharp scraping noise drew the hedgehog's attention back to the long-haired Nobody as he retrieved a scalpel from the nearby table.

"Oh, I get it." Rush chuckled challengingly. "I'm supposed to be some kind of lab rat and test out some insane experiment, right?"

"No." Kai answered coldly, pressing the scalpel to the hedgehog's throat. "You're father was an unusual specimen when his blood accepted Shadow's DNA at birth. But you are an even more unusual specimen to study."

"Am I supposed to take that as an insult or a compliment." Rush said jokingly.

"Think of it this way." Kai scowled, threatening to draw blood. "Once we find out want makes you tick, we'll no longer have any use for you."

Rush could tell by the emotionless look in his eyes that he wouldn't hesitate to kill him on the spot. Fear trickled down his spine – this was a new sensation for Rush. With a menacing growl, the long-haired Nobody tuned his back to the young child and exited through the doors which were guarded by two Samurais. Though he was a creature with no heart, Kai could feel immense satisfaction knowing that they had captured the beast that had defeated him. The wounded warrior stepped lightly through the halls, passing his silver-skinned servants until he reached the room of his master. Naga the Snake hissed silently glaring at the data provided him with Rush visible on the monitors. The Heatless serpent turned in his seat, facing his seemingly faithful servant.

"What have you to report?" Naga questioned.

"We have already processed over ninety percent of the analysis." Kai explained. "His stamina is rated to be equal to Sonic at that age, his height and weight show no significant difference, and his body structure is average. His synapses are more accelerated than usual, but that's only due to his inherited speeds."

"So we have no explanation for his unexpected power?" Naga sneered.

"We still have one test left, my lord." Kai said, pointing to the monitor. On the screen, the two Samurais were scanning Rush with a small machine, calculating some process." We are processing his Chaos capacity with data. If there is anything unusual, we'll find it."

"You better be right." Naga stated threateningly. "For your sake, Kai."

* * *

The scene alternates to the outer edge of Naga's hidden base, which was discovered to be hidden within the mountains. Two Berserker guards hobbled back and forth on their claymores, not really taking observations of their surroundings. Hidden within the brush of the forest, the X Tornado rested in the shadows with the cockpit cameras watching the Nobody's every move. Cherry was hovering between the two screens on the windshield, which forced to his master to try and see past the crimson Chao. After taping a precise sequence of buttons, the onboard computer analyzed the level of their staggering opponents.

"Hmm...Sentient beings with no actually body mass or skeletal structures." The pilot said interestingly. "These must be the Nobodies that dad talked about. I always thought they'd be a lot bigger."

"Chao, chao." Cherry chirped.

"They really are bulky, but I'll wager my tool set that they can't move without those giant clubs." The pilot said thoughtfully. "All we have to do is knock them off their balance and we can make our way into the hideout."

"Chao, Chao?" Cherry asked.

"Nah, I think we'll go with the direct approach." The pilot said happily.

The Berserker Nobodies continued to lumber in front of the entrance, occasionally stopping to silently speak with one another. They never realized that those rare moments would be used against them. At the moment the Berserkers stopped next to one another and blur of crimson light flashed out of the tree cover and slapped against their claymores. As the enlarged weapons were tossed away, the Berserkers were thrown to the ground, flailing uselessly with their crutches gone.

"Chao, Chao." Cherry giggled.

"You're right, Cherry." The pilot laughed. "They do look funny down there."

The Berserkers stopped squirming around long enough to stare up to their conqueror. A small rabbit girl around the age of eight with soft-yellow fur complete with orange patches on her ears, eyes, and forehead. Her attire consisted of wears navy-blue shorts held up by a brown leather belt, a white sleeveless t-shirt with the words "Chao" on the back, blue/yellow workers boots with white yellow laces, plain white gloves with metal wristbands, and necklace made of string and lug-nuts. Her appearance also held a small oil stain on her left cheek that seemed to have made a permanent mark. As the Nobodies resumed their squirming, the little rabbit merrily skipped past them towards the steel doorway.

"Oh, don't bother yourselves." The rabbit said playfully. "We'll just show ourselves in." She turned to her beloved Chao. "Cherry, would you do the honors?"

The crimson-red Chao nodded happily, grabbing his master securely by the wrist offered. In an amazing display not seen by any Chao, Cherry's body turned hollow and transparent, which affected the closest creatures he was holding: his master. And with that, both fighters walked into the metallic door and phased through to the other side, unharmed by surface. The dynamic duo came out on the other side and resumed their task as if nothing happened. The technical rabbit reached into her pocket and pulled out a tracker that ran the same frequency as the X Tornado.

"According to this, Rush should be down the hall and on the left." The rabbit explained. "Just as long as we don't get caught, we should be able to get through this without any trouble."

"Chao!" Cherry saluted.

Unfortunately, the sudden movement triggered an invisible inferred beam that set off a blaring alarm across the base.

"Well, so much for that." The rabbit sighed.

* * *

Meanwhile, the alarm reached to Naga's chamber, who was distracted from Kai's recent reports on the hedgehog. The Heartless serpent directed his attention to the monitors and found the unwanted intruder. They watched interestingly as little hare curled the crimson Chao and tossed it down the hall, crushing their advancing soldiers into the wall.

"Who is this now?" Naga hissed lightly, eyeing the girl's movements. "Her battle style and tactical placement seem vaguely familiar. Even that grotesque pet of hers seems to stir distant memories."

"If I may, my lord." Kai stated shortly. "Her face resembles that of Vanilla's daughter: Cream the Rabbit."

"Oh yes, the little Jedi that defeated Grievous." Naga said, caressing his chin. The little rabbit on the screen stepped backwards a few feet away from the Nobodies, tossing golden rings from a distance. At the moments the rings made contact with the enemy, they exploded in a ray of golden light. "Still her tactical procedures varies from one you would expect to be the daughter of a Jedi."

"My lord, do you wish for me to dispose of her?" Kai questioned monotonously.

"There is no need, Kai." Naga hissed pleasingly. "If my guess is correct, she is searching for the hedgehog. And when she finds him, she'll be in for a big surprise."

* * *

The scene switches to the experimental chamber, where the Samurai Nobodies were concluding their final scan of the twin-colored hedgehog. Rush was whistling nonchalantly, apparently undisturbed by the sword wielding masses standing to his right. The Samurais had just finished distributing the data when Kai appeared on the screen – the loyal followers bowed respectfully to their master

"Is this all of it?" Kai questioned; the Samurais responded silently. "Then we have no further use for that remedial rodent. Eliminate him swiftly."

The Nobodies nodded as their master disappeared off the screen. The twin Samurais turned slowly to their prey, who was finally catching up to the situation. The silver-skinned warriors withdrew their sabers while Rush resumed his fruitless struggle to break free. The Samurai Nobodies raised their blades overhead and sharply – a knock at the door interrupted their sacrificial ritual. The sword-wielding warriors shrugged to one another leaving the closest one to answer it. This proved to be one of their greatest blunders. The moment the Samurai answered, a blur of crimson light lashed by its shoulders and literally knocked the warriors head off, returning it to oblivion. The second Samurai went on its guard as the unknown attacker was ricocheting against the walls, which the swordsmen missed scarcely. And on the last rebound, the blurred objected kicked off the floor and drilled thoroughly into the Nobody's chest, instantly obliterating it. With a satisfactory smirk on his face, Rush followed the weapon of destruction until it stopped and uncurled close to his legs. Cherry chirped happily.

"Hey, Cherry." Rush greeted smiling. "Is Mia around here?"

"You called." Rush and Cherry looked over as Mia the Rabbit walked into the Room. The crimson colored Chao chirped loudly as he floated into Mia's arms. "You did a great job, Cherry. I'm so proud of you."

"Hey, Mia." Rush laughed eagerly. "I was wondering if you were going to show up."

"You got yourself into trouble again and I'm the one that has to bail you out." Mia stated, walking over and attempting to pry the restraints off. "Ugh! How many times have I had to save you so far?"

"In big trouble, just this once." Rush answered thoughtfully. "Regular trouble....twenty-eight times."

"You...owe me...a lot of...Sea-Salt... ice cream...." Mia struggled, panting as she surrendered in her attempts. "Man, I need to workout more. What exactly are these cuffs made of?"

"That one guy said they were adamantium." Rush answer confused.

"Solidified adamantium is the hardest substance in the universe." Mia said intriguingly, inspecting the restraints in awe. "They had be liquefied and merged with other substances, but then can never be worn out or broken. I wonder if it's possible to collect a sample for testing."

"I'll buy you some when we get back home!" Rush exclaimed. "Now get me out of here!"

"Cherry, would you please help him?" Mia giggled.

The rave Chao saluted his master, drifting close to Rush's left side. Cherry grabbed the hedgehog's wrist and, just as before, turned both participants hollow and transparent as he gently tugged backwards. Like a phantasmal beast, Rush drifted free of his shackles and landed softly as his depth and mass retuned.

"Thanks for the help, guys." Rush said gratefully.

"We should get out of here before they send more soldiers." Mia suggested.

"Relax." Rush waved nonchalantly. "What's the worse they could throw at us?"

The twin-colored hedgehog had yet to learn his lesson. At the moment Rush's back was turned, a vortex of white and gray nothingness emerged from behind, distributing the five Wonderers from before. The one leading the group stabbed through the air and swiped its claw across the hedgehog's spine. But much to everyone's surprise of in the room, Rush suddenly curved around and thrusted his foot into the leader's face. The soldiers stopped in their tracks, apparently just as surprised as their leader, whom was picking itself up from the floor.

"Don't look so surprise." Rush smirked as Mia coward behind him. "I actually pay attention most of the time. You guys use your fancy speed and large numbers to outdo only one opponent. But when its two against five, we have you beat."

The Wanderers hissed in defiance and crafted another vortex of nothingness, disappearing beyond it boundaries.

"What's the plan?" Mia asked, hugging her Chaos as the two went back-to-back.

"Simple, really." Rush grinned deviously. "We just watch each others backs and take them out one at a time."

"Great plan?" Mia said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, you got a better idea?" Rush questioned expectantly.

"Yeah – duck!" Mia screamed.

Without taking time to ask why, the twin-colored hedgehog followed orders as a Wanderer slashed overhead. With he loyal pet curled, Mia tossed Cherry into the Nobody's face, which was shredded upon contact. Mia cheered proudly for her faithful partner, unaware of the attacking Wanderer striking from behind. Fortunately enough, Rush reacted to the danger and jumped over her head, delivering strong blow with his foot to the Nobody's chin. The Wanderer was tossed backwards, impacting with a comrade that was emerging from the Realm of Nothingness. Both creatures crashed into the nearby table, being stabbed with medical tools before fading from existence. Rush, Mia, and Cherry formed a circle while the remaining two Wanderers blurred in and out of the room via vortexes.

"I don't think these guys are gonna stop anytime soon." Rush stated; his eyes followed the Nobodies.

"They must be trying to stall us long enough to call in reinforcements." Mia suggested fearfully. "I don't think they're just gonna let us leave."

"Bring any inventions that might help out here?" Rush asked hopefully.

"I did bring some sonic amplifiers and electronic plugs." Mia informed, rummaging through her pockets. "The X Tornado is also parked outside, so we can make a quick escape."

"Mia, I could kiss you." Rush laughed.

Fortunately for the little rabbit, the twin-colored hedgehog was too distracted by the Nobodies to notice Mia's redden cheeks. As the technical hare continued to search through her pockets, the remaining Wanderers stopped their rapid movements and clawed against the wall over the doorway. At that very moment, a horde of mixed Nobodies piled through the narrow passage with their sights set on the two children. Even someone as arrogant as Rush knew they couldn't take on an army of nonexistent monsters – they could barely handle three. Cherry showed great bravery in attempting to charge at them, but the twin-colored hedgehog pulled him back before he could be maimed.

"Anytime now would be good!" Rush panicked.

"Chao, chao, chao!" Cherry screamed.

"Just give me a minute..." Mia said hurriedly; sweat trailed down her brow. After the Nobodies had advanced so far, the young hare finally retrieved two sets of electrical earplugs and a metal ball. "I suggest you put these on. It's not going to be pleasant."

"Oh, you guys are in trouble now." Rush smirked, placing the electrical plugs in his ears.

Once securing her own ears, Mia hugged her Chao securely and tossed the metal ball on the ground – the piece clicked echoingly. A Dusk reached down and retrieved the device off, staring at it with uncertainty as the metallic sphere began beeping at an accelerated rate. Then without warning, the metal ball exploded with an amplified screech of sounds, forcing the Nobodies to hold their heads in an attempt to block out the sound. The only difficulty was the fact that their true faces were hidden beneath their skin-like suits. And with the Nobodies twitching on the floor, Rush took the opportunity to grab his friends and made a run towards the exit. Given the hedgehog's inherited speed, the trio reached the outside and stopped in front X Tornado.

"Can you get this rust bucket in the air in time?" Rush asked.

"One, my dad made this plane, so it is anything from a rust bucket!" Mia yelled angrily as she climbed into the cockpit. "Two, it will only take a few seconds to get the engines running again for full flight."

"Well, that's good." Rush said, looking in the opposite direction. "Cause I think you only got six."

"With a hint of confusion, the technical rabbit stretched over the side and witnessed the charging Nobodies – they had broken Mia's invention. Cherry instantly jumped into the X Tornado, shortly followed by Rush after closing the windshield. The Dusks began clinging to the surface of the silver plane while Mia hurriedly tried to start up the engines. And just as the slither Nobodies prepared to stab through the glass, the X Tornado finally reached to full power and Mia wasted no time taking off. With a sharp pull on the controls, the engine ignited and burned the selected Nobodies that chose to stand behind while the silver aircraft took to the skies. Very few Dusks managed to stand on the X Tornado longer than five seconds, granting the children a perfect escape. Once knowing they were safe, Rush sighed peacefully and kicked his feet on top of Mia's headrest.

"Man, that was the greatest adventure ever." Rush chuckled eagerly. "I can't way to tell Alina when I get home. She's going over the moon when she hears this."

"You're lucky enough to get out of there alive." Mia chided. "I wouldn't be so quick to boast about your little expedition."

"Hey, we're in the clear." Rush said lightly. "Nothing can touch us now."

"Really?" Mia smiled deviously. "I wander what your mom will think when she finds out about this."

"Uh...is it too late to go back?" Rush asked timidly.

* * *

The final scene alternates back to Naga central chamber, watching the children escape on the monitors. The Heartless serpent hissed furiously. It was bad enough that Sonic had managed to escape all his attempts in the past, but now his own son was making a mockery of his legacy. That rabbit, Mia, the child of Miles Prower in addition to being Cream's daughter. The offspring of a Jedi and a half-demon – the combination interested him. At that moment, Kai walked into his master's chamber with caution, apparent to the serpent's fury.

"You better have a good reason for disturbing me." Naga growled. "Your minions have failed and I am not in the best of moods."

"Forgive me, my lord." Kai bowed respectfully. "But this is something you must hear." He reached into his vest and retrieved a set of documents with Rush's name on the face. "We have completed the data on the child's Chaos Capacity and it was far from what we would have expected. According to this, Rush the Hedgehog contains the same level of Chaos Energy as Zeenint when he was alive twenty years ago."

"What?!" Naga hissed shockingly, turning back to the warrior. "Are you saying this child has the power to rival a Sovereign?!"

"Yes, but I don't think he's learned this." Kai stated monotonously. "But if he ever did discover the large quantity of energy he possessed, he could become a problem in the future."

"Then we'll just have to dispose of him." Naga growled.

"I would advise against it, my lord." Kai suggested. "While searched through the data on his Chaos Energy, we discovered a trail."

"A trail to what?" Naga questioned interestingly.

"Something bigger than we could have ever imagined." Kai answered.

* * *

**The first of** **the next generation unfolds. Will Rush and Mia make it to their homeland safely? What is the secret behind Rush's unusual power. And what trail has the Naga discovered? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	5. Rush's Greatest Rival

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Chapter Four: Rush's Greatest Rival

The scene unfolds in the former foundation that was once recognized as the Mystic Ruins. After the war following the defeat of Dark Siege, the desolate lands were repopulated by the same race as the original tribe. Nocturnus echidna rebuilt their home on Earth using the advanced technology they had collected in the Twilight Cage, transforming the area into a small city. And while the light-skinned echidna went about their daily business, an explosion of dust and smoke erupted close to the edge of the city. Dictated from where the smoke originated from, many would guess it was coming from the fallen Angel Island, which had reconnected to the mainland.

"Ya think it's Jewel again?" A passing echidna questioned blandly.

"It has to be." A market salesman responded, sighing irritably. "Only she could make a ruckus like that."

"Why couldn't she be the strong and silent type like her father?" The echidna complained.

Based on the Nocturnus' lack of concern, this sort of event must have come natural to the echidnas. Meanwhile, the site of the explosion was located in the heart of Angel Island's forest – the trees were uprooted within ten feet of their originator. In the heart of the destruction, a singular echidna female stood in place, thrusting her fists at an imaginary target. Unlike normal echidna, her fur was pearl-white with her dreads hanging limp over her shoulders and two scarlet crescent birthmarks on her shoulders. He attire consisted of knee-length short restricted by brilliant-red belt, a sleeveless undershirt with a matching red vest, two gloves to fit her spiked knuckles, and red/black shoes. She also donned a set of bandages around her forehead and each of her dreads, giving her the appearance of a warrior.

"It's not enough." Jewel the Echidna panted, swiping her leg skyward. "There is no challenge for me in the place. How will I ever be strong enough to stand against him?"

* * *

The scene alternates to the clouds above the Earth, only a few short miles away from the echidna sanctuary. The X-Tornado glided smoothly through the sky under Mia's expert piloting skills, despite the annoyance coming from the back seat. Rush and Cherry were shaking their heads wildly, listen to heavy metal music of the hedgehog's choosing through the radio. The little rabbit held a great dislike of the music for its bad taste, lack of proper form, and it generally harms her sensitive ears.

"Uh...Rush!" Mia called, wincing partially. "Do you think you can turn it down?!

"Can't hear you!" Rush screamed, rocking out with his Chao friend. "You're going to have to speak up!

"I said, could your turn it down?!" Mia repeated agitatedly.

"What?!" Rush responded.

"I said..." Mia hissed furiously; her eye twitched dangerously. "Turn...it...DOWN!!!!"

Rush and Cherry definitely heard her this time, but were too late to act upon her wishes. Instead, Mia turned around in her seat and reached into one of the hidden compartments, retrieving a steel wrench. And just like that, the little rabbit took out her frustration on the radio by smashing the head of the wrench into the machine – the music died instantly. Rush and Cherry blinked in confusion while Mia returned to her seat with her cheeks puffed like a little child's.

"If you wanted me to turn it off, you could have just said so." Rush commented.

"I did say so, but you weren't listening." Mia moaned, pressing her throbbing forehead. "You know that I have big ears, just like my mama and grandma did when they were little. At this age, our bodies have super sensitive hearing and loud sounds can cause us painful migraines or damage us mentally."

"Geez, it's not like meant to do it on purpose." Rush whined.

"You don't do a lot of things on purpose." Mia said pointedly. "But someway or another, you always manage to get us in some type of trouble and I'm always the one who..."

But in their momentary distraction, the little pilot failed to notice an incoming attack on the monitor. As the X-Tornado continued through its pre-set course, a large boulder was rocketed from the land below and thrusted through the air. The boulder collided with the side of the X-Tornado and snapped the right wing clean off, forcing the silver jet to spiral out of control. Immediately, Mia took possession of the control, attempting to straighten the aircraft, while Rush and Cherry held each other close in fear.

"What's going on?!" Rush screamed.

"Something clipped our wing!" Mia answered, struggling with the plane controls. "It looks like were in for a crash landing!"

"If there's any kind of landing I hate, it's crashing!" Rush exclaimed frantically.

"Chao chao!" Cherry cried.

With the knowledge of their imminent demise, the trio of heroes gave up their attempts of survival and screamed at the top of their lungs. Back on the ground, the denizens of Nocturne turned their attention to the skies as the high vocal notes of the two children reached their ears. While the echidnas stopped and followed their course with their senses and predicted their destination to be within the walls of the High Tower in the heart of the city. The High Council that ruled over their beloved city watched the events unfold at the roof of the Tower with a lack of interest on their parts. Six members of the echidna tribe garbed in rich-purple robes took notice of the silver fighter plane and only glanced back to one another.

"Looks like that machine is heading our way." A female councilor stated blandly.

"Anyone have any ideas?" An older male grunted.

"I have one." An irritable, yet familiar, voice growled lowly. "Stay out of my way, you inexperienced urchins."

The six council members narrowed their vision and turned to their superior, whom shared a mutual dislike of them. Pir'Oth Ix staggered against his golden scepter, physically unchanged by the passage of time. As the X-Tornado progressed closer to the Tower, Ix shoved his subordinates to the side and focuses his thoughts on the impacting vehicle. With these thoughts, the former leader's eyes inherited an ominous glow and a shockwave of light emitted from the head of his staff. The ring of energy phased through the X-Tornado...and halted it progress in midair. Rush and Mia crying long enough to realize that their descents was slower than usual. With Ix's thoughts projected into the real world, the former imperator guided the aircraft safely and gently touched it down on the roof of the High Tower. The six council members muttered between them, but Pir'Oth Ix approached the silver fighter jet as the cockpit hissed open, allowing the children inside freedom.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Rush groaned, sliding over the edge of the plane.

"That was a close one." Mia sighed in relief, looking down to the echidnas. "Uh...sorry about the rude entrance. We kinda hit a little turbulence and everything went downhill from there."

"That's probably because children should be flying such complicated piece of machinery." Ix stated rudely; Mia looked insulted. "The next time you decide to crash into our city, be sure that it's somewhere in the Historical District. We've retrieved all the information from the ruins."

"Where are we, anyway?" Rush questioned.

"You are in the echidna city of Nocturne." The female councilor answered, pushing past her superior. "I am Kayade, leading authority of the Nocturne Council. And I'm sure you have met our humble Magister, Pir'Oth Ix."

"Hey, my Aunt Shade told me about you." Rush informed. "She told me that you were the enemy of her father's tribe and that you kidnapped her when she was born." He placed hands begin his head in a relaxed motion. "You know, she could have killed you a long time ago, but she thought you turned over a new leaf."

"She didn't trust me enough to allow me to resume my essential role." Ix scowled. "Not only has she denied the position of Imperator, she has also reformed the Nocturnus Tribe into a diplomatic government. No laws or judgments can be passed until the council can come to an agreement and is passed by the Imperatrix. It's disgraceful."

"Sounds like you're not too happy about the way things run around here." Mia commented.

"A true leader must make quick and decisive action." Ix stated restrictedly. "This process will be the end of our race."

"It was your 'quick and decisive actions' that trapped our race in the Twilight Cage." Kayade proclaimed, shoving her superior away and turned to the children. "It looks like your aircraft has taken some serious damage. We can provide metal and tools to repair it, but without the blueprints, it is uncertain how long it will take to repair your plane."

"That's all right." Mia smiled victoriously, inspecting the damaged wing of her plane. "I've memorized the X-Tornado's schematics right down to the last gear. All I need is some R-37 reinforced steel, a welding torch, some sheet-metal cutters, and a can of metallic-silver paint. If I have all those, I can be done in a minimum of thirty minutes."

"Yeah..." Rush said in a bored manner. "While you get to work, I'm just gonna go out for a run."

"All right, but don't go too...." Mia started until noticing that the hedgehog had disappeared. "...Far. Someone needs to either put a leash on him or a shock collar to keep him in place." She brushed her hand across the surface of her most precious possession, taking note of the scratches she had missed moments earlier. "Hmm...looks like the X-Tornado was hit with a giant rock or something."

"Rock?" Kayade repeated interestingly. "Funny, that sounds like something Jewel would do?"

"Who's Jewel?" Mia asked curiously; Cherry chirped.

"If your friend is smart enough, he won't find out." Kayade said ominously.

* * *

The scene alternates to the expanded forests on the fallen Angel Island, close to the former sanctuary. Rush the Hedgehog maneuvered accurately through the thick branches, accelerating at every opportune moment. If there was anything the twin-colored hedgehog prided more was his inherited speed – he was part of a legacy. Rush curled into his ball form, kicked off a mound of dirt, and rebounded against the tree trunks like a large version of pinball. The young hero-in-training proceeded outside the forest and jumped into a clearing, uncurling with his feet skidding against the grass. Rush smirked proudly at his skills, but then notice the only structure on the island. A broken shrine with a stairway that lead to the ultimate prize.

"Hey, this must be the Master Emerald Shrine." Rush said amazingly. "Dad said this is where Knuckles always guarded a giant emerald that acted as the most powerful tool in the world. This is the place where Silver killed Nazo and where mom and dad got married." He scratched his chin with interest. "Hmm...I wonder..."

Despite his normal arrogance and lack of thoughtfulness, Rush chose to approach the sacred landmark at a slow pace. This was a holy place and even the twin-colored hedgehog knew that the land of the Master Emerald needed to be respected. But as Rush climbed the stairway to the shrine, the bushes rustled loudly – someone was watching him from a distance. The young hedgehog finally reached to the top step, only to be disappointed by the empty space.

"Hey, what's the big idea here!" Rush complained. "I thought there was supposed to be a giant emerald here!"

"Leave, intruder!"

The twin-colored hedgehog snapped his attention to the sky, partially blinded by the rays of the sun. With his eyes covering his eye protectively, he spotted the newcomer only a few short feet away. Rush barely caught sight of his opponent's fist rocketing towards his face and back flipped just in time to avoid it. Fragments of the shrine were scattered into the air and Rush landed safely on the ground, motioning himself in preparation for a counterattack. As the dust cleared away, the hedgehog's attacker presented herself, pounding her fists together with a disgusted look.

"You have some nerve intruding upon this sacred land." Jewel scolded heatedly. "Get off this island while you still have your life."

"Hey, my ride just got shot out of the air." Rush replied grimacing. "So unless you know the way back to South Kingdom, I'm going to be sticking around for a little while." He crossed his arms challengingly. "Besides, I came to see the place where my mom and dad got married. And I'm not going to let some knuckleheaded echidna girl stop me."

"You really need to learn your manners." Jewel hissed, clenching her fists. "You need to show your respects to your physical and intellectual superiors."

"When I meet them, I will." Rush chuckled.

A pulsating vein throbbed dangerously on the female's forehead. Jewel the Echidna skipped off the Master Emerald's sanctuary and stabbed through the air with her fists positioned perfectly to strike. As his newest opponent moved closer, Rush swiftly jumped several feet above the ground. It was a smart decision to make as Jewel's fist crushed the ground within a ten foot radius around her body. While still hanging in midair, the twin-colored hedgehog swiped his foot for the echidna's face, only to have it stopped by her forearm. Jewel pushed him away and jumped in for closer range combat before her opponent could touch the ground. The enraged female threw a devastating punch at her target, but Rush's natural instincts directed him to grab Jewel's arm and flip overhead. Once landing, Rush swiped his legs backwards and knocked Jewel flat on her back – she rolled backwards to resume her stance.

"_There's no way this could be happening._" Jewel thought angrily. "_I am the strongest there is, yet this guy is making me look like a joke. He's not even trying to fight back._"

"Hey, are you done playing around yet?" Rush yawned tauntingly. "Well, when you're ready to take things seriously, wake me up."

"Oh, I'll give you a wakeup call you'll never forget." Jewel growled.

The powerhouse echidna dashed ahead with her fists flying in multiple directions. Rush shrugged playfully and kneeled close to the ground, waiting for the best opportunity to have his fun. When the knuckleheaded female was only a merely foot away, the twin-colored hedgehog leaned back on his arms and thrust his foot diagonally into the air, nailing a direct hit to Jewel's cheek. Though taken back by the sudden shift, Jewel saw the opportune moment to counteract. The fighting female snatched her opponent's leg out of the air and pulled the hedgehog closer, allowing a direct kick to Rush's face. It turned out that Jewel's kicks were even more powerful than her punches, sending the hedgehog flying back and snapping two trees in half. After removing himself from the broken fragments of wood, the twin-colored hedgehog crawled cautiously to the edge of the forest, peeking his head around the trees. Surprisingly enough, Jewel was nowhere to be spotted.

"Got to give her this much." Rush commented. "She gets a ten for strength and an eight style, but gets a two for her short temper."

"Who are you to judge me?" Rush turned only his heels, only to be lifted off the ground by his neckline. Jewel snarled darkly at the hedgehog with her spiked knuckles pulled backwards to strike. "You'll soon learn your lesson for not heeding my warnings."

"Man, I didn't see ya coming." Rush complimented excitedly. "You must have trained extra hard to get that stealthy."

"My mother taught me the art of shadows." Jewel responded lightly.

"Man, you've got a lot going for ya." Rush laughed. "You're a heck of a kick boxer, you have that super spy thing working for ya, and you definitely pack a punch." Jewel smirked proudly at the compliments she received. "And, you know, you're kinda cute when you're angry."

Of all the comments in the world, that was the last thing Jewel would have expected to hear...from anyone. Jewel was feared by every opponent she had ever come across and commonly avoided by most people due to her poor social skills. But this hedgehog – he had the daring and nerve to actually compliment on her appearance. The female fighter could not resist the redness in her cheeks as her grip on Rush's throat began to slacken. Using this momentary weakness to his advantage, Rush grappled Jewel's wrists and kicked off the trunk behind him to flip over the echidna's head. The twin-colored hedgehog anchored his feet into the dirt and threw the embarrassed echidna over his shoulder. The white-furred echidna tumbled across the forest floor for a few moments and stopped on her back, catching sight of Rush as he jumped from above. Relying on her instincts, Jewel threw her legs up and kicked the twin-colored hedgehog overhead. Rush landed painfully on his left side near the edge of the island – his weight collapsed on his wrist.

"Aw, man!" Rush screamed shrilly, holding his limp hand. "Aw, that smarts! Why does this kind of stuff happen to me?!"

"I don't think it's a suitable punishment." Jewel scowled as she breached the trees. "You have some nerve to play with my emotions. I'll make sure that when I beat you into the ground, you won't get back up."

"Man, that's harsh." Rush commented absentmindedly. "You really need to see some counseling."

"You know, I have had just about enough of your mouth!!" Jewel screeched furiously.

Rush kicked back to his feet with the reality of the situation crashing down upon him. The twin-colored hedgehog was with his back to the sea, his wrist sprained, and a pissed-off powerhouse making a charge for him – he never had so much fun before. Jewel shortly closed the gap between them and swiped fist around for a powerful haymaker. But at the last second, Rush twirled around her fists and stopped directly behind the echidna, crushing his heel into her spine. The female fighter was deliberately thrown forward off her feet and was shot over the edge of the island borders. Jewel the Echidna closed her eyes fearfully as the ocean surface inched closer with her descent. Then all of a sudden...she stopped. The female fighter opened her eyes slightly, curious as to why she wasn't plunging into the dark depths. The knuckleheaded echidna hovered a mere foot above the water while realizing a small pressure on her right ankle. Jewel craned her head to catch sight of Rush leaning over the edge of the island, apparently struggling to maintain his hold on the fiery girl.

"Man, how much do you weigh." Rush grunted.

"What in the name of the Master Emerald are you doing?" Jewel scowled.

"What does it look like I'm doing." Rush grinned, slowly dragging up. "I have that same look on my face whenever I get close to water, so I'm guessing you don't know how to swim." The echidna growled and fell back limply. "You really know how to show gratitude."

"I never asked you to save me." Jewel said snidely. "A real warrior shows no mercy to his adversary."

"Where did you learn from?" Rush questioned interestingly.

"Life is harsh and cruel." Jewel said sorrowfully. "I've learned this much ever since I was six years-old. In your life, you cannot depend on friends or family to help you in your time of need. I trusted him too much and my father paid the price for my ignorance."

"Who did you trust?" Rush asked solemnly.

"My elder brother." Jewel murmured.

Rush halted his struggle only momentarily and remained silent for the rest of the time out of respect for Jewel. Being an older brother himself, the twin-colored hedgehog could only imagine the kind of pain she was feeling from the memories. How would Alina feel if Rush suddenly turned on her, crushing the hopes of his younger sibling? For the first time since he could remember, Rush couldn't think of a remark or comment for the situation. With his mind more focused than normal, the twin-colored hedgehog lifted Jewel over the edge and placed her securely on the ground. She only spared a small glance at her rescuer before turning her back and brushing her fur free from any unsightly dirt particles.

"Thank you." Jewel said shortly.

"Listen, I don't know what happened between you and your bro." Rush said earnestly. "And I really can't say I can understand what your going through. But if there is one thing my mom and dad taught me, you can't take on everything on your own." He smirked proudly and rubbed his free hand behind his head. "Although, I think I handled that ugly snake pretty..." An egg dropped from the sky and cracked on his head. "Ok, I need help! Ya happy?!"

"You're right about one thing." Jewel proclaimed; Rush smiled brightly. "You can't understand what I'm going through."

"Well, I gave it a shot." Rush sighed defeated. "But if you ever need any help, or just want a friend to talk to, give me a visit if you're ever in South Kingdom."

With nothing left to be said, the twin-colored hedgehog turned tail and dashed through the trees at breakneck speed. Jewel was left alone with her thoughts, only allowing a small glance to follow the red and blue blurs passing through the trees. Something about this hedgehog made the echidna warrior feel equally aggravated and pleasant at the same times. Jewel grabbed a handful of her shirt, gripping the section over her most vital organ.

* * *

Meanwhile, the scene shifts to the High Tower in Nocturne. With Kayade's assistance and the supplies provided by the Nocturnus Tribe, Mia was able to make the necessary repairs on the X-Tornado's missing wing. The little genius was currently finishing the fine polish on her newly restored aircraft, being extra cautious to present any bumps or scratches. Cherry the Chao was also helping, but used the rag as a makeshift sled, streaking across the smooth surface of the plane.

"And we're finished!" Mia exclaimed happily. "It's a real beauty – you could never tell that it was damaged."

"You are truly an innovative youth." Kayade complimented honestly, examining the repaired aircraft. "You reconstructed its original form, improved the counterbalance, and refined its natural qualities. Your parents must be proud."

"I bet they would." Rush said; the echidna jumped frantically. "For a little girl, she sure has a big brain."

"Chao, chao." Cherry nodded in agreement.

"Well, all lights are green." Mia announced from the cockpit. "Give the engines a minute to heat up and we'll be good to go."

"You got room for one more?"

The group of for turned their attention to the stairways of the Tower as Jewel the Echidna bravely marched ahead. Rush, feeling the throbbing in his wrist, stood in attention and faced the female fighter as she approached the hedgehog. The two stopped only a few short feet away from each other, weary of whether or not the opponent was hostile or not.

"So...you hand to come with us?" Rush asked slowly.

"I'm not going to get any stronger with these technologically-dependent weaklings." Jewel proclaimed harshly. "If I want to even stand a chance against greater opponents, I need to find greater challenges." She crossed her arms and glared challengingly at the hedgehog. "Besides, I still have a score to settle with you. And I'm not going to stop until I wipe the floor with your face."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen?" Rush laughed. The female fighter snarled heatedly as the hedgehog jumped on the wing of the X-Tornado. Once he found a suitable place to rest, he turned his attention back to the echidna. "By the way, I really meant what I said back on the island."

Those she still detested the hedgehog, even Jewel couldn't withdraw the embarrassment present on her face. With only two seats placed in the cockpit, Jewel took that back seat that Rush had willingly surrendered – Mia pouted disappointedly. Rush the hedgehog felt on top of the world. He had humiliated a legendary villain, met a great rival, and formed an unofficial team just like his father did in the old days. Nothing could bring him down now.

* * *

The final scene alternates to a murky swampland a few miles to the west of Black Arms Ruins. Hidden deep within the fog and thick brambles, a solitary structure shaped in the form of a small look out was nestled in the dreary domain. Naga's most loyal servant, Kai Robotnik, had entered the foundation a few short moments ago and stood in the only place where light was present. Those the rest of the domicile was shrouded in darkness, Kai could make out three outlines of creatures hidden within the shadows – the leader was sitting on a lone couch.

"So let me get this straight." The leader grumbled. "You want us to hunt down some kid and bring him back to you...alive."

"I don't like repeating myself." Kai said monotonously.

"I have no problem hunting down that kid." The leader said confidently. "It's the keeping him alive part that's going to be a problem. We're not exactly known for letting our targets continue breathing."

"I'm sorry, thought I was in the presence of competent hunters." Kai said insultingly.

That comment alone was enough to drive the leader over the edge. While the other two characters around him sharply jumped backwards from their leader, the third member withdrew a weapon from his back and aimed it close to the Nobodies' neck. Being an emotionless creature, Kai was undisturbed by the sword pointed close to his throat. The weapon in question was a crimson-steeled blade shaped in the fashion of a flame with a black-wire handle and a ruby imbedded in the sword hilt.

"Don't you go mocking my skill." The leader snarled. "I am the leader of the Seven Sword Lords."

"Last I heard, a woman named Reace was the leader of the Sword Lords." Kai said indifferently, looking between the trio. "And looking at this sorry group, I would say your numbers have dropped by four."

"Those weaklings had no spine to be Sword Lords." The leader growled, pulling back his sword. "I'll bring you back the hedgehog, but I can't guarantee that he'll be alive." He chuckled darkly. "After all...The Guardian of Hell isn't known for being merciful."

* * *

**A new ally joins Rush's team, but that isn't always a good thing. Will Rush and Jewel end up killing each other in the future? What tragedy has Jewel suffered in the past? And why does Kai need the assistance of the Seven Sword Lords? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	6. Burn in Hell, Part 1

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Chapter Five: Burn in Hell, Part 1

The scene opens to a lengthy forest land that stretched over a hundred miles just west of Nocturne's borders. This stretch of pine of grass was more than likely the only area in the world that was not corrupted by concrete and machine of the civilized world. It was a land for wild animals to run free without fear of modern technology to pollute their sanctuary. But that couldn't be said the same for predators. A lonesome ferret poked its head from the safety of its nesting place, scouring the area for any sign of potential dangers. Once believing it was safe, the lengthy creatures skipped out of its place and attempted to dash in search of food. In never made it three steps before a flame-shaped swords stepped through its skull and into the dirt.

"_Look what we have here._" A high, wicked voice cackled as the sword was removed. "_Lunch is served, gentlemen._"

"**You expect me to eat this puny morsel?**" A low, growling voice said agitatedly. "**This isn't enough to be considered a small snack. Find me a doe and I'll devour it in momentarily.**"

"_Don't let Reace here that._" The first voice sniggered

"Shut up, you idiot!"

The other two voices were silent as the self-proclaimed Guardian of Hell emerged from the shadows, crushing the deceased rodent under his foot. A tall and muscular hound with menacing-black skin, a row of pointed teeth, sharpened claws, and a pair of the deepest blue eyes. He wore a pair of crimson-red boots – his nails ripped through the layer – a navy-blue belt holding a number of pouches, red fingerless gloves, and black cloak draped over his broad shoulders. A leather strap overlapped his chest and stored his signature weapon in back.

"_Aw, such a waste of good meat._" The first voice moaned.

"What did I just say?" The leader growled, sniffing into the air. "The hairs that Nobody gave us have allowed us to follow the hedgehog's scent into this area. I can smell that he is close....very close."

"**Finally, a real prize.**" The second voice growled satisfactory.

* * *

The scene alternates ten miles south of the Sword Lords position in a lakeside clearing. The new team that consisted of Rush, Mia and Cherry, and Jewel the Echidna had made a momentary stop due to technical difficulties. The X-Tornado had landed near the lake bed and the little rabbit pilot was holding a thin hose to the planes cooling system in the water. And while Mia was busying herself to repair the advance transport, Rush was tanning on the plane's wing and Jewel was pounding her fists into the rocks for training. But after pulverizing four boulders in a matter of minutes, Jewel turned on her heels and crossed her arms impatiently.

"Aren't ya done filling that toy plane yet?" Jewel glowered, tapping her foot. "We still have twenty miles of forest to cover before we reach the South Kingdom borders. Then there is the matter of actually getting into the kingdom."

"Well, we would have been there if _Someone_ hadn't thrown rocks at our plane and cracked open the coolant tank!" Mia snapped aggressively, monitoring the flow of the water. "And it's not a toy plane! It's a sophisticated piece of technologically advance genius made by the most brilliant mind on the planet."

"Someone has a big ego." Jewel scoffed.

"I've had just about enough out of you!" Mia screamed as she stomped over to the echidna; Cherry chirped fearfully. "Ever since we met, you have been rude, impatient, and a complete jerk! If you want to walk all the way to South Kingdom on foot, be my guest!"

"You want to go, brat!" Jewel sneered, cracking her knuckles.

"Ok, I think you both need a little time out." Rush said nervously, jumping between the girls. "Mia, why don't you go back to back to fixing the X-Tornado? Jewel, you just go blow off some steam and...maybe look for some good grubs to eat."

The two rivaling females glared at one another before diverting their attention to the twin-colored hedgehog between them – Rush shivered involuntarily under their gaze. And in a swift instant, both girls slapped Rush over the head before turning their backs and walking off in opposite directions. Mia went back to repairing the damage to the X-Tornado and Jewel stalked off beyond the trees. Rush rubbed his throbbing head as Cherry hovered overhead, shaking his head. The hot-blooded echidna strayed from the rest of group, slashing her spiked knuckles against the bark of the passing pines. It had become a regular thing to see Jewel pissed about something at least four times a day, but there was something about Mia that just didn't sit well with her. They were both females forced to work on the same team, but one was a technological genius and the other was a traditional warrior. You could see where this would be going.

"Stupid, long-eared hare." Jewel snarled spitefully. "She thinks she's so smart with that stupid toy of hers. If it were my choice, we would have traveled together on foot and actually make it to the kingdom in time. But no, that whiny brat is too lazy to even walk ten yards. I can't understand why Rush even puts up with her."

"_Ooh, someone's jealous._"

"Huh?" Jewel muttered curiously.

With natural warrior instincts, the white echidna motioned her body into a protective stance, minding the shadows surrounding her. The winds gently breezed through the trees – leaves rustled against one another – but Jewel's attention was focused on another detail. A gentle repetition of stepping motions circling the area, occasionally staggering left and right to throw its target off guard. But the hot-blooded echidna inherited her mother's sense of unnatural hearing – there wasn't a single place that the beast could hide. After nearly waiting a whole minute, Jewel kicked off the ground and back flipped overhead as the monster of darkness slashed his sword from below. The swordsman hound skidded to a halt with his back turned to the skilled echidna, who landed securely with her stance made ready to pounce.

"You're a sharp mind with much promise." The black hound stated with his back still turned. "But I can smell the hedgehog's stench all over your fur and clothing. Are you his lover?"

"W-what?!" Jewel exclaimed embarrassingly. "Hell no! As if anyone would actually be interested in that pea-brained, slack-jawed, hyperactive idiot!"

"_Wow, she must have a major crush on the kid._" The first voice cackled insanely.

"**I said shut up, fool!**" The second voice snapped.

"What the?" Jewel murmured questionably, glance around the trees. "Where did they come from?"

"Well, if the hedgehog is not important to you, I suppose you would be willing to expose his location." The black hound said questionably.

"And let him have the fun of kicking your ass?" Jewel smirked confidently, clenching her fists. "Yeah, like that's going to happen. Now before I send you flying back to Nocturne, I'd like to know the name of my unfortunate victim."

"My name is Maido." The black hound answered as he finally turned to the echidna. "And it is your overconfidence that will be your undoing."

Like her father, Jewel was prideful of his skills in combat and believed no one could outmatch her. With that arrogance placed in her mind, the hot-blooded female dashed ahead with one of her fists pulled back, striking once close enough to attack. But there was some truth in Maido's words. The swordsman hound effortlessly knocked Jewel's fist away with the back of his hand, allowing him an open shot with his sword. Maido stabbed his flame-blade at the echidna's chest, but Jewel managed to curve herself fa enough that the blade only slashed the side of her shirt. The hot-blooded warrior followed the flow of her motion and lifted her leg to perform a backwards spin-kick, smashing two of the hound's fingers with her heel. The action caused the hapless swordsman to relinquish his signature blade and clutched his broken hand painfully. Jewel never had a better opportunity like this and she was not about to waste it. Bring her spiked knuckles in front, Jewel thrusted her fist ahead....and snapped the tall pine in two. The hot-blooded female was shocked and amazed by the dexterity of her opponent as he easily bounded over the echidna and swiped the back of her legs, throwing her backwards into the ground.

"Ooh..." Jewel moaned, gently tapping her head. "Maybe I should have expected that."

"I am feeling rather generous right now." Maido said. Before Jewel was given the chance sit up, Maido raised his flame-based sword to her neck with his injured hand suddenly healed. "You help me take down the rat I'm chasing and I promise I won't slice your neck and send you down to me some old friends of mine."

"Go to hell." Jewel spat.

"_Wish we couldn't but we're not allowed with one thousand miles of that place!_" The first voice laughed humorously.

"**I'll never understand why we were stuck with him.**" The second voice growled.

"Those noises again." Jewel muttered suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"The former Guardian of Hell." Maido snarled, lifting his blade. "Give the Council my regards when you see them."

* * *

The scene returns to the lakeside clearing with Rush and Mia making the final preparations for there flight. Mia was wrapping the extensive coil back into place when she noticed that Cherry had somehow got his head stuck in the hose. Curiosity is a dangerous thing. Rush's turned into a full-body sunburn and was forced to drown himself in the lake. I guess that's what happens when you're tanning on a silver plane with a reflective surface on all sides.

"Well, that should just about do it." Mia smiled, clapping her hands together after a job well done. "The coolant tank has been fixed and refueled, so we don't have to worry about the engines overheating."

"I knew someone as smart as you could fix this." Rush grinned respectfully; Mia hid her beet-red face. "Now the real problem is finding out where Jewel went. If we're lucky, she blew off enough steam that she won't break my legs...again."

"Can't we just leave her here?" Mia asked hopefully.

"Chao, chao?" Cherry repeated with sparkling eyes.

"You're joking, right?" Rush said, sounding anxious. "If we left her behind, she would hunt me down and rip me limb from limb, starting with my toes." He scratched his chin in thought. "Come to think of it, I wonder where she ran off in the first place."

Whether by luck or consequence, the twin-colored hedgehog received his answer shortly. A thunderous boom exploded from the forest trees and Jewel was roughly thrown out of the woods, slamming into the right wing of the X-Tornado. Much to Mia's horror, the wing of her precious aircraft was snapped off for the second time in a week, not even caring for the injured state her newest comrade was in. While Mia began sobbing over the state of her plane with Cherry patting her shoulder sympathetically, Rush kneeled down to his beaten rival. Jewel was covered from head to toe in cuts with blood spots scattered across her fur, her cloths were ripped in places, and black eye was forming over her left optic. With an audible groan, the hot-blooded female sat up with some assistance provided from the twin-colored hedgehog, which she shrugged off rudely.

"Damn, what just happened?" Jewel hissed, stretching her shoulder.

"Well, let's review, shall we?" Rush said jokingly. "You tried crack my skull again, went off to get some anger management classes, came back looking like went through a blender, and broke the X-Tornado...again."

"What happened to Maido?" Jewel questioned seriously, jumping back to her feet.

"Who?" Rush asked confused.

"Maido – the guy I was just fighting." Jewel growled in response.

"Wow, the great Jewel he Echidna getting her tail kick." Rush chuckled tauntingly. "Never thought I'd live to see the day."

The twin-colored hedgehog almost never lived to see the next five minutes when Jewel wrapped her hand around his throat. But at the precise moment, Cherry and Mia were thrown across the field and landed on top of the older member of the new team, forming an awkward dog pile. Jewel frustration was growing with each passing minute as she shoved the other to one side and jumped to face Maido, who emerged from behind the silver airplane. The hot-blooded female growled heatedly and charged forward in a predictable fashion with her knuckles stabbed ahead. Sighing in bored manner, Maido raised paw and backhanded the echidna female into the lake with ease.

"Hopefully she'll learn her lesson and stay down this time." Maido said, shaking his head. And in a short moment, after taking a breath of air, turned his head to the twin-colored hedgehog. "Your scent is much stronger now. I am to guess that you are Rush the Hedgehog?"

"My reputation proceeds me." Rush smirked proudly. Mia and Cherry rolled their eyes while Maido sweat-dropped at his grammatical error. "I'm a little busy, but I guess I could give you an autograph for free."

"_Ooh, can we get a picture, too!_" The first voice shouted excitedly.

"**Shut up, you imbecile!**" The second voice snarled heatedly.

"Whoa, where'd that come from?" Rush said cluelessly.

"You're not the first to ask the same question." Maido said, withdrawing the flame-based sword from his back. "While I normal attack children except for food, that Nobody paid me a hefty sum to bring you back alive. You should feel relieved that I don't have to kill you."

"Nobody?" Rush repeated. "Wait, are you talking about that Kai guy?"

"I am not in the liberty of revealing my clients identities." Maido chuckled humorlessly. "Now, either you give up willingly or you will meet an unfortunate "accident" at the end of Flarus."

"**The Nobody said we only needed to bring him back alive.**" The second voice said suggestively. "**But that doesn't mean we can't rip off his limbs and drag his body back to the soulless freak.**"

"_I call the legs!_" The first voice exclaimed.

The twin-colored hedgehog was barely given any reaction time before Maido jumped ahead, stabbing his sword – Flarus – into the ground in front. While still hovering in midair, the black hound used his sword hilt as support and swiped his foot across the air for his target's head. But Rush swiftly dropped closer to the ground and thrusted his heel into the broadside of the flame-based sword, hoping to throwing the black hound off balance. But instead, the Flarus gain and unnatural burning-red glow and threw the twin-colored hedgehog back into the trees before its master landed. After regaining his senses from colliding with the pine, Rush yelped fearfully as the Flarus stabbed directly for his throat. He instinctively dropped his back to the ground as the flame-based sword stabbed through the tree trunk, making it difficult for Maido to withdraw his blade. Using this opportunity, Rush curled into his ball form and performed his family's signature Spin Dash attack and struck into the swordsman's abdomen. The black hound was blown back by the force of the technique – purple blood slipped through his teeth – and smacked his back into the nearest tree.

"Hey, you aren't so tough." Rush grinned victoriously. "I guess Jewel is losing her touch."

"So you expect to win through trickery and dumb luck." Maido shook his head, licking up the blood.

"**Dumb luck for a dumb rodent.**" The second voice said wickedly.

"_I wonder if that headset gets great reception._" The first voice said cluelessly.

"I don't need luck to be a giant loser like you." Rush proclaimed with certainty. And with a devious grin, the twin-colored hedgehog reach back and ripped Flarus out of the tree, showing some difficulty holding it. "Here's a great twist on things. I am about to beat you with your own weapon. Talk about karma, huh?"

"The Flarus will never accept you." Maido stated confidently.

Rush merely rolled his eyes and staggered forward, forced to drag the flame-based sword across the ground. Maido showed no intention of moving, but watched the hedgehog with an expression of calm nature. Once close enough, Rush used all of his muscle to raise the sword overhead and attempted to slash down on the unsuspecting hound. But just as he was making his final move, the Flarus once again gained a fiery-red glow and the steel of the blade inherited an intense wave of blistering heat. Rush cried out in anguish as the flame-based sword burned away the material of his gloves and scorched his palms, forcing him to release the blade. Maido effortlessly retrieved his sword out of the air and kicked Rush in the stomach, throwing him back into the clearing. Driven close to tears by the intense pain, Rush dragged himself to the lakeside and dipped his hands in the water, gaining sweet relief.

"Ah, man, that stings." Rush hissed, turning his head to Maido without removing his hands. "Hey, what's wrong with that crazy sword of yours?"

"There is nothing wrong with the Flarus." Maido proclaimed, flashing his weapon into the sunlight. "As one of the Seven Sword Lords, I have crafted this blade from the forge of the mystic dragon fires. Only members of the Seven Swords Lords know of its location and any weapon crafted from the forge is granted a special mystic energy."

"Like fire." Rush said knowledgeably. "Your sword gives you the ability to control fire, but you haven't found the need to use it yet. And I'm guessing any weapon forged from the fires can only be used by those who made it."

"You're not as stupid as I had expected." Maido grinned darkly. "That is the reason why you were unable to use the Flarus against me – it only accepts me as its master." He rested the tip of the blade close to Rush's throat. "And that is why you cannot defeat me alone."

"Whoever said he was alone?!"

Maido turned his head in attention, which was really stupid once realizing it was a setup. A blur of cherry-red smashed against his face, throwing the swordsman warrior off his balance. As the blur curved around, smacking against the black hounds hand to force the Flarus out of his grip. Growling spitefully, the swordsman hound followed the flying blur with his eyes until it stop and revealed itself to be a simple cherry-red chao. Cherry stuck his tongue out at Maido and chirped happily and he landed gently in Mia's open arms.

"You're joking, right?" Maido sniggered. "A little girl and a pixie are the best assistance you could come up with."

"I may be small, but I have a big brain." Mia said proudly. "And we're not here to fight you, only distract you."

The swordsman hound raised his brow quizzically to the long-eared female until he felt a sudden pressure in the back of his legs that force him to drop to his knees. Almost immediately following, a pair of strong arms curled under his arms and locked together behind Maido's head, preventing the warrior from reacting. Though it was a struggle, Maido was given only enough room to turn his head, where he spotted Jewel locking him in the chokehold.

"I thought you would have learned your lesson by now." Maido growled.

"And you still have a lot to learn!" Jewel grunted, making an attempt to keep her hold. "I'd hurry up if I were you, kid! I can't hold this guy any longer!"

"Just hold him still for a moment." Mia said, taking careful aim with the Chao in hand. "I just need one shot."

"And you're not going to get one." Maido proclaimed.

Without warning, the black hound's cloak was ripped to shreds and Jewel felt a stabbing pain in both of her forearms. Rush, Mia, and Cherry gapped in shock as the newest development of Maido's character was revealed to him. He possessed not one, but three individual heads, each with a different set of eyes: red, blue, and green. The two heads on either side of the central brain stabbed their teeth into Jewel's arms and forcefully pried her of their leader, throwing her overhead and into the disturbed rabbit child. Mia moved from under Jewel's weight, but the echidna was curled on the ground, holding her bleeding arms close to her chest. The rabbit prodigy was analyzing the current situation. Maido had three heads and retrieved his mystic sword, Rush's hands were burned beyond use, and Jewel did not seem able to continue fighting – she had lost too much blood already. Maido walked closer to his prey - all three heads presented a different expression.

"**Aw look, I think we scared her.**" The right head sniggered monstrously. "**I think she's going to wet herself.**"

"_She looks tasty._" The left head cackled insanely. "_Can we have her for lunch, please?_"

"W-who..." Mia whimpered fearfully, holding Cherry close. "Who are you?"

"I really hate repeating myself." Maido said in an amused tone. "But since you're so curious, we'll gladly inform you."

"**A monster born from the fires of Hell, destined to be its guardian.**" The right head said lowly.

"_You probably heard about in all those Greek stories._" The left head grinned nastily.

"We are known amongst the Seven Sword Lords as the Guardian of Hell." Maido stated proudly. "We are Maido the Cerberus."

* * *

The scene alternates to a hidden forest trail ten miles north of where the battle was taking place between Rush and the legendary Sword Lord. Two cloaked characters were passing through the shade of the trees, both stood at different height and appearance. The taller of the two characters wore a black cloak with apple-red clouds printed across the surface with a brown leather strap running across his chest. Underneath his cloak, he wore formfitting pants, white bands on his shins, toeless shoes, and a conical straw hat with a small bell that rang with each step. Strapped to his back was large weapon covered entirely in white bandages with a skull-capped handle. And those most of his body was covered, the man's left arm rested limp in the opening of his cloak, revealing a light-blue scaled hand with a grey tinge and ring on his ring finger.

The second member of the party was only level with her partner's shoulders and tried to make herself stand out more. She wore the same straw hat and the ring on her right ring finger, but her cloak was snow-white with ocean-blue clouds across the surface. The younger member was skipping along merrily with her partner until she noticed the older man's weapon was rattling as if its skin as crawling.

"Hey, the Samehada acting funny." The girl noted curiously. "Think it has a stomach ache?"

"Karma, the Samehada doesn't have a stomach." The older man stated calmly. "It's detecting a large mass of Chaos Energy in the area. It hasn't reacted this wildly since the Jinchuuriki came out of hiding during the Dark Siege's control over the planet. Whoever it is, they hold enough energy to possibly rival the Jubi. And...I smell something else."

"What?" Karma asked.

"I smell blood." The man said.

* * *

**A new turn in the battle may be the end of Rush's adventures. Will the young heroes find a way to defeat the legendary Cerberus? Are there more secrets that Maido is hiding? And who are this new pair? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	7. Burn in Hell, Part 2

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Six: Burn in Hell, Part 2

The scene returns to the lakeside in the vast, endless forest where Rush and his team were last seen. The heroic trio was making repairs to the X-Tornado – Mia bluntly blamed Jewel – and was suddenly attacked by a mythical beast named Maido the Cerberus. The fight eventually left Rush with a pair of severally burned hands and the hot-blooded echidna with two arm scarred with puncture wounds. That only left Mia unharmed as she faced the three-headed swordsman.

"**Aw look, I think we scared her.**" The right head sniggered monstrously. "**I think she's going to wet herself.**"

"_She looks tasty._" The left head cackled insanely. "_Can we have her for lunch, please?_"

"W-who..." Mia whimpered fearfully, holding Cherry close. "Who are you?"

"I really hate repeating myself." Maido said in an amused tone. "But since you're so curious, we'll gladly inform you."

"**A monster born from the fires of Hell, destined to be its guardian.**" The right head said lowly.

"_You probably heard about in all those Greek stories._" The left head grinned nastily.

"We are known amongst the Seven Sword Lords as the Guardian of Hell." Maido stated proudly. "We are Maido the Cerberus."

"A Cerberus..." Jewel grunted weakly. "But that's impossible. The Cerberus is just a myth created by the Nocturne Tribe to scare little children into doing what they're told."

"You know something about this guy, Jewel?" Rush asked, wincing with the sudden movement of his hands.

"The Cerberus is supposed to be a monster created by Hades, the God of Death." Jewel explained as Mia assisted her to sit. "It was originally created to prevent souls from leaving Hell and intruders from entering it. And according to some legends, the Cerberus was kept on a short leash because it had an insatiable appetite to devour anything that moved."

"_Yeah, we had to go to a lot of group therapy classes!_" The left head giggled insanely; Maido slapped his face. "_Owie! That wasn't very nice!_"

"**I can't believe I'm attached to this imbecile.**" The right head growled irritably.

"It's true that I was the Guardian of Hell and that I was continually hungry." Maido answered calmly. "It was a flaw the Council of Death overlooked in my design. It was torture to watch the vast number of souls slip through to the realm of evil death and my hunger grew with each number that passed. Eventually, I managed to find one soul that strayed from the rest of the pack." He shuddered pleasurably. "Being hungry for so long, it was overwhelming."

"Freak." Rush commented.

"In due time, I developed a system that would allow me to take at least one soul from a group without being detected." Maido continued. "And it worked for a while. But when Nazo never returned to Hell after his death at the hands of Silver the Hedgehog, the Council of Death did a recount of all the souls under their watch and noticed several were missing."

"And that's when you were caught." Mia nodded.

"The Council of Death was suspicious at first, but they had no evidence." Maido stated. "They kept an annoyingly close eye on me and I had to resist all primal urges to prevent myself from being discovered. By my hunger ruined my plans and I savagely attempted to devour the masses of Hell. The Council of Death captured me and placed judgment. I was to be stripped of all my powers and forced to continue my mortal existence on this backwater world."

"**Blah, blah, blah!!**" The right head snapped impatiently. "**Less talking and more killing!!**"

"_Can I get fries with that?_" The left head asked stupidly.

"I will deal with you two in a moment." Maido said collectively, holding Flarus in front. "I must return the hedgehog back alive, but the Nobody never said I couldn't have a little fun with his other accomplices."

The tri-headed swordsman stepped forward lightly in the direction of the females, who were forced to crawl backwards due to weakness. While Jewel was forced to cradle her blood-soaked arms, Mia took the initiative to stand against the mythical Cerberus with Cherry chirping confidently on her shoulder – Maido laughed. Feeling insulted by the demon's chilling chortle, Mia snatched her loyal pet and curled the cherry-red Chao in her hands. The technical rabbit thrusted her faithful friend ahead in a blinding burst of speed, but Maido's experience outweighed Mia's ability. The right head pulled itself in front with his teeth bared, only an inch from devouring the little pet whole. Squeaking in fright, Cherry activated his phantasmal powers and phased through the beast's head just as he snapped his teeth overhead. The tiny Chao sighed in relief for a small moment before Maido slammed the blunt edge of his sword against Cherry's head. And while Maido and the left head looked down at the pathetic blob, the right head accidentally took control of the body and commanded it to jump sideways toward Mia and Jewel. But before the triple-headed beast could sink his serrated teeth into their skin, a foot flew out of nowhere and slammed into the side of the right head, throwing the whole body close to the forest. And while the right persona groaned loudly, Maido and his left persona glared at the third member.

"I never gave you permission to command me." Maido growled. He used Flarus for support and stood up to face Rush, who was standing guard in front of girl – his hands were still burned. "You really are a glutton for punishment."

"Heh! You're one to call me a glutton." Rush sniggered, wincing only slightly.

"_Hahahaha!_" The left head laughed loudly, stopping only under the glares of his counterparts. "_What? It was funny?_"

"**So you've got joke, huh?**" The right head said gruffly. "**I guess that's all you have left in your arsenal.**"

"I don't need my hands to take out you losers." Rush smirked confidently. "After all, I am the greatest hero that ever lived."

"Modest, aren't we?" Jewel said sarcastically.

Rush sweat-dropped at Jewel's comment, but that was the least of his problems. As the three-headed swordsman moved closer to the pre-teen group, the twin-colored hedgehog felt a cold chill running down his spine. Inwardly, Rush was scared. Meanwhile, on a cliffside overlook the clearing, the two members of Akatsuki watched the battle from an aerial view. Of the two, the younger member was the only that had removed her straw hat. She at least fourteen years of age with silky blond that hanged over her right shoulder and a perfect white lily tucked behind her left ear. She was standing closer to the edge to see the battle while her senior was watching over her shoulder – his wrapped weapon reacted more violently.

"Ooh, looks like their getting beat very badly." Karma commented obviously. "Think we should help them, Sensei?"

"I've seen that ugly monster before." The older member said gruffly. "His name is Maido the Cerberus. He was a part of a group called the Seven Sword Lords – a society that imitated the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." He walked close to the teenaged girl and patted her head. "I think this guy is way out of your league. You should stay here while I deal with him."

"But that not fair." Karma pouted cutely. "Why can't I fight anything bigger than Shadow Heartless? I'm strong enough."

"Maybe when you're older." The senior member chuckled.

"Aw, you're no fun." Karma huffed.

The hidden member of Akatsuki pushed past his young protégé, grasping the handle of his shaking weapon. Feeling greatly disappointed, Karma looked down at her feet and kicked a pebble over the edge. Everything snowballed from that point. In an unexplained play of chance, the pebbled knocked off a rock from the cliff, which knocked off a bigger rock, which knocked off a large rock, and eventually dislodged a twenty foot boulder. Karma and her teacher watched surprisingly as the boulder rolled down the cliffside, across the forest and closer to the clearing where the heroes were. Maido had already knocked Rush back down to the ground and raised the Flarus overhead until he heard a thunderous sound coming from his side. The trio of heads snapped their attention to their left just before the bolder slid into view and smashed Maido under its weight. Rush, Jewel, Mia, and Cherry blinked shockingly while the boulder rolled farther into the forest, carrying Maido through its web of sticky moss.

"Uh...what just happened?" Rush asked bewildered.

"Either he sucks as a fighter or we're just plain lucky." Jewel commented.

Back on the cliffside, Karma and her teacher watched the boulder carrying Maido away crawled through the sea of tree. The senior member's eyes were nearly bulging out of the sockets and snapped his attention back to his protégé.

"I'll say it before and I'll say it again." The senior member chuckled proudly. "I love that special ability of yours."

Karma smiled appreciatively.

* * *

The scene returns to the younger heroes over half an hour after Maido's uh....inconvenience. Though she was against it at first, Jewel allowed her technical rival bandage the puncture wounds on her arms. And despite Mia's advice to rest and heal, the hotheaded echidna went straight back to punching trees. Mia rolled her eyes while bandaging Rush's hands, which was difficult as he wouldn't stop squirming since she had applies burn relief gel.

"Just...stop...fidgeting." Mia grunted irritably.

"But it stings." Rush whined childishly. "Couldn't you have given me some non-painful medicine?"

"Stop acting like a baby and suck it up!" Jewel snapped; Rush glared heatedly. "We have worse thing to worry about than a simple sting on the palms. Maido is still hiding somewhere in the woods and he's bound to sneak his ay back to us in a matter of minutes. We need to be prepared."

"You should be safe, Rush." Mia stated as she finished her treatment. "Maido wants to bring you back alive, so the only people that should be worried are Jewel and I."

"Chao, Chao!" Cherry chirped hurtfully.

"And Cherry." Mia chuckled playfully. "But there is something that has been on my mind." The other members of the party looked back to the rabbit with interest. "Maido and his....partners said that they wanted to bring Rush back to Kai alive. But Kai hates Rush, so why wouldn't he just ask Maido to kill him off?"

"I think they were looking for something." Rush stated curiously. "Back when I was locked up in Naga's lab, they were performing hundreds of weird tests saying that they wanted to find out what 'makes me tick'".

"Certainly not your brain." Jewel said snidely.

Rush would have lot to make a comeback remark, but this was one occasion where he kept his mouth silent because he couldn't think of anything. Fortunately, he was saved from further embarrassment as a sudden flock of birds breached the canopies with an echoing shriek of panic. If Rush learned anything from endless hours of watching TV, it was that fleeing animals was a sure sign of approaching danger. Mia plucked Cherry out of the air and stood back-to-back with Jewel and Rush as they narrowed their eyes in focus. For close to two minutes, there was a relatively calm period of silence – it always came before the storm. While the larger heroes were too busy with worry present on their expressions, Cherry was facing the reflective surface of the X-Tornado, making funny faces. And while sticking his tongue into the reflection, the cherry-red Chao saw the mirror image of the beast they were waiting for. And without warning, Cherry shoved his master backwards, knocking the trio down to the ground, just as Maido dropped from the sky with Flarus swinging. The mythical Cerberus had only missed by a close inch, leaving his stance wide open for the enemy to strike, which Rush used to his advantage. The twin-colored hedgehog curled himself into a ball and performed the Spin Dash into the beast's abdomen. Unfortunately, the Cerberus' resilience was much greater than one would expect and merely skidded backwards, brushing the attack off.

"**You've got a lot of nerve to attack us after that cheep shot earlier!**" The right head growled.

"Be patient." Maido said coolly. "We still need the hedgehog alive."

"_Maybe if we ask nicely._" The left head suggested; Maido and his other half stare strangely at the third persona. "_I know, I know._" He slapped himself across the face. "_Owie!_"

"Wow, this guy's a real schizophrenic." Mia commented.

"Huh?" Rush, Jewel, and the three heads gaped in simultaneous confusion.

"Never mind." Mia sweat-dropped.

"You've managed to slip through our claws for too long." Maido said softly, raising Flarus in a pointed fashion. "But your futile efforts will prove to be the death of you. We are stronger, smarter, and greatly more experienced than a meddlesome group of children. You are dealing with a powerful member of the Seven Sword Lords."

"If there is one think you're good at, it's shoot your mouth off." Rush smirked.

"_Hahahaha! Good one!_" The left head laughed

"**Shut it!!**" The right head snarled, slapping his opposite persona.

With the dual persona on Maido's shoulders bickered to one another, the master controller enacted a traditional staredown with his opponents. The twin-colored hedgehog and the triple-headed demon were ten feet away from each other – Maido's breathing was becoming anxious. And from his knowledge of western movies, Rush knew the first one to move would be the one to start the fight. He decided to take the bait and slipped his foot forward. The triple-headed demon lashed the Flarus over his shoulder and glided across the air, keeping himself low to the ground. Once within the proper distance, Maido swiped at their little legs and watched as they jumped over the blade – Jewel grabbed Mia before making the leap. Maido grinned at his success and turned on his back and snapped all three heads upwards as the group started to fall back to the ground. It was fortunate that Rush and Jewel reacted swiftly by kicked the demon head on each side. Mia was too frightened by the close encounter to think, but Rush swiftly ripped her out of the air and tumbled away to safety.

"**Great plan, genius**" The right head snarled. "**A lowly slug could have thought of a better plan than that.**"

"_Don't let the Rokubi hear ya._" The left head giggled.

"A few cheap shots aren't going to get rid of us that easily." Jewel stated certainly.

"Then perhaps it's time we stopped playing around and got down to the real show." Maido said victoriously. He stabbed the Flarus into the ground and folded his hands over the handle. "I am a busy man with a tight schedule and it's very bad business to keep a customer waiting."

"Then give it your best shot." Rush challenged.

He really needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. The trio of heads glanced to one another, coming to a simultaneous thought, and turned their attention to the children with the mouth open wide. The pre-teens thought for a moment that he was about to scream and they were partially correct. Instead of sound, a pillar of fire erupted from each of the heads, forming a singular pattern on the ground around the children. The flames came to life in the form of a blazing ring and rose formed a wall fifteen feet high, preventing any hopes of capture. Jewel had pulled out her shovel claws, planning to dig a way out, when a quick burst of flames from the outside knocked them out of her hands and beyond the firewall.

"Nice going, stupid!" Jewel scolded, thrashing Rush over the head. "You just had to piss him off, didn't you?!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to going he could breath fire?!" Rush retaliated.

"He's a demon from Hell!" Jewel snapped. "What were you expecting, dandelions?!"

"Heh! They fight just as much as you two." Maido chuckled to his separate personas.

"Listen, man." Rush growled defiantly. "I'm willing to go with you wherever as long as you let Mia and Jewel go."

"Chao, chao." Cherry chirped irritably.

"And Cherry." Rush concluded.

"No can do, little boy." Maido chuckled darkly. "If I let them go, they'll just come running after me and make things more difficult. And if I let you out of that cage, you'll just run away the first chance you get. I'm not letting all my hard efforts go to waste."

"But you're supposed to keep Rush alive." Mia said fearfully.

"I just need him alive." Maido smirked malevolently. "The Nobody never specified that I couldn't bring him back fatally wounded."

Mia closed her eyes with her hands while Jewel clenched her fist in anger. The trio was trapped and the three-headed swordsman raised his hands to command his flames for the final strike. Rush winced for the incoming pain as Maido swiped his hands down swiftly. Was a fiery death supposed to be cold? The twin-colored hedgehog risked opening his eyes to fulfill his curiosity when he noticed the fate prepared for the sea of flames. The fires had been extinguished and instead a water of crystal-blue water appeared in its place – Rush thought he was better of with the fire. The towering walls soon smoothed into a slim and masculine form, gaining the head of a powerful serpent in the process. The aquatic beast hissed loudly at the triple-headed demon and slither away from the children at the same moment Karma landed next to them.

"Hey, guys." Karma waved cheerfully. "Watcha doing?"

"Uh...you tell us." Rush said confused.

"You might want to get out of her, girl." Jewel sneered indulgently. "If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of fighting an apocalyptic demon from Hell that wants to devour our flesh."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Karma said nonchalantly. "Mr. Fishy will take care of him."

"I told you not to clam me that!" The aquatic serpent growled.

But in the moment the water beast was distracted by the younger warriors, Maido jumped off the ground and flashed Flarus through the beast's forehead. The triple-headed demon was slicing the aquatic snake directly in two until his sword came into contact with a solid surface in the water. Maido landed on his feet with Flarus still connected to the unknown object just as the water splashed around their feet. The older member of the Akatsuki duo was holding his bandaged sword with one hand, proving his strength by keeping Flarus at bay – his straw hat had fallen off. The man beneath the mask had light-blue skin with a small grey tinge, three gills under each eye, shark-like teeth, and shoulder-length sapphire-blue hair tied in the back. He wore a band around his forehead with a metal plate that presented the image of four swerving line – the scratch mark was absent. And for reasons unknown Maido smiled pleasingly.

"I finally get to test my strength against the strongest of the Mist Swordsman." Maido chuckled. "The Monster of the Mist, Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Cover your eyes, kid." Kisame said confidently. "This won't be suitable for children."

* * *

**A clash between legendary swordsman. Will the infamous Kisame prove to be the team's shining salvation? Will Maido overpower the aging warrior? And what powers does the youngest of Akatsuki present? Find out on the next Sonic Rush.**

**Please, read and review.**


	8. Burn in Hell, Part 3

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Seven: Burn in Hell, Part 3

The scene returns to the lakeside forest just moments following the clash of two great swordsmen. Rush, Jewel, Mia, and Cherry were easily defeated by the triple-headed demon, Maido the Cerberus, only to be miraculously rescued. Two members of Akatsuki stood between them – one of them included the infamous murderer and traitor, Kisame Hoshigaki. The Monster of the Mist pushed his weight against his sword, Samehada, and forced the demon warrior backwards. Maido gripped his own sword, Flarus, with such intensity that the handle looked like it was glowing – the glow never dimmed.

"I finally get to test my strength against the strongest of the Mist Swordsman." Maido chuckled. "The Monster of the Mist, Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Cover your eyes, kid." Kisame said confidently. "This won't be suitable for children."

"Aw man, this just isn't our day." Rush moaned defeated, drawing curiosity from his female partners. "Just when you think things are bad enough, they only go downhill from there."

"What are you talking about?" Jewel questioned irritably.

"Don't you know who that is?!" Rush exclaimed in disbelief; Mia and Jewel shook their heads. "That is Kisame Hoshigaki – The Monster of the Mist, The Bijuu without a Tail!"

"Is that a bad thing?" Mia asked curiously; Cherry chirped in equal response.

"It's worse than bad – it's as bad as the world exploding!!" Rush screamed urgently; Mia and Cherry fell backwards. "Kisame Hoshigaki is an S-Class murderer and assassin from the Hidden Mist, also known as the Blood Mist Village! He tried to overthrow the government in his village and even assassinated a few members in the council at random times of the day!!"

"You seem to know a lot about him." Jewel said curiously. "Why?"

"Um....." Rush hummed, twiddling his thumbs embarrassingly. "I...have a few posters and movies about Akatsuki." The females raised their brows to the twin-colored hedgehog. "What?! They're evil, but cool!"

"Aw, you don't have anything to worry about." Karma waved nonchalantly. "Mr. Fishy is a god guy."

"I told you to stop calling me that!" Kisame snapped.

In the moment that the Mist Swordsman was distracted, Maido lunged forward with Flarus swinging at his side. The triple-headed swordsman swiped his flame-based weapon in a horizontal motion across Kisame's neckline. But even while the Monster of the Mist wasn't looking, his skill was far superior to his age. Without even sparing a single glance, Kisame lifted Samehada to repel the Flarus in a single swipe, throwing the black hound off balance. Once touching the ground, Maido stabbed his flame-based weapon forward, but Kisame twisted his own weapon in his hand, stabbed it into the ground, and blocked the strike. After managing to deflect his initial assault, Kisame used the Samehada as support to lift himself off the ground and kick Maido in the chest. All three heads wheezed heavily while skidding backwards, clenching their untied heart.

"Come on, where's all that flare?" Kisame said jokingly. "I thought we were getting warmed up."

"You should stick to waving that sword around." Maido commented. "Throwing jokes doesn't suit you."

"_I thought they were funny._" The left head smiled...until he was slapped in the face. "_Owie! Why do you keep hurting me?!_"

"**Because you're an idiot!**" The right head snapped.

"Fight with yourself?" Kisame chuckled tauntingly. "That's a good one – you'd work really well with Two-Face."

The Guardian of Hell narrowed his eyes and stabbed Flarus into the ground, closing his palms over the handle. The black demon stood idle, glaring at his opponent, while Kisame slowly rested the Samehada on his shoulders. For nearly two minutes, there was a stressed period of silence and both swordsmen have yet to make a move – Jewel was tapping her foot impatiently. Kisame's eyes shot wide in unexpected shock for a moment and holstered the Samehada to his back before rocketing into the air without warning. His reasons for doing so were explained as a tower of roaring flames exploded from the ground beneath him, ready to engulf the blue-skinned warrior whole. But while still in midair, Kisame used his right hand and formed a series of one-handed seals – his stomach expanded in the process.

"**Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave Jutsu!!**" Kisame screamed.

Snapping his head forward, Kisame expelled all the water collected in his stomach through his mouth to collide with the flaming tower. Steam was formed from the mixture upon contact, spreading a thick fog over the battlefield. Kisame was still freefalling in midair, trying to pierce his gaze through the obstruction. Suddenly, Maido erupted from the steam without warning and swiped the Flarus across, only to watch Kisame retrieve the Samehada and block the strike. And by the time the two swordsmen landed, the steam had cleared away and they were stilled locked together. While the Guardian of Hell struggled to keep his grip on his sword with both hands, Kisame was effortlessly standing his ground with only one. Things were not falling in Maido's favor. And out of desperation, Maido nodded to his more brutal persona, who grinned darkly and stabbed his head forward, snapping his teeth directly over Kisame's left shoulder. But despite the immense pressure at the crimson-red blood pouring down his side, Kisame showed no signs of discomfort.

"You'll have a tough time with that." Kisame said confidently. "I haven't been able to feel anything in that arm for eight years."

"_Oh, how sad._" The left head sniffed.

"Shut up." Maido sighed.

With unrivalled strength and skill, Kisame lifted his concealed weapon and trusted the Flarus out of its master's hands and shot it into the air. And while pushed off the right head with his forearm, the Monster of the Mist snapped his leg backwards to crush his heel into Maido's left ribcage. The heated Cerberus was tossed awkwardly into the trees, slamming his back against the trunk with his sword stabbing into the ground on his left side. As Maido slowly crawled to his feet and retrieved his weapon, each head held a different expression. Maido was annoyed, the right head was growling deeply, and the left head was staring absentmindedly into space. Kisame crossed the Samehada across his chest in a defensive position, smirking superiorly down to his opponent.

"I guess someone needs to put you back on your leash." Kisame said mockingly. "But it's not too late for a little disciplinary education."

"You will be silent." Maido said collectively.

"**Stop talking and turn that bastard into shark soup!!**" The right head snarled angrily.

"_Hey, that cloud looks like a bunny._" The left head said stupidly; the other's slapped him.

Kisame chuckled at their combined idiocy and went on the defensive as Maid charged ahead. Meanwhile, the younger viewers were sitting on the edge of the lake, watching the battle play out with amazed expressions. Sonic seemed simple inspired by the former assassin, Mia and Cherry were clapping at the performance, and Jewel was making mental notes on all his movements. And during this time, Karma was cheered with black and red pom-poms – no one knows where she found them. As Kisame tripped Maido behind his ankles and slammed his elbow into the demon's chest, the younger heroes exploded in a wave of fresh cheers.

"I never thought I would say this about a criminal." Rush said eagerly, bouncing on his heels. "But he is totally awesome!"

"He definitely has the advantage." Jewel noted with a serious tone. "He has longer experience with a sword, his physically stronger, and I'm willing to bet he's not even using half his strength."

"My sensei is the best in the world!" Karma cheered, waving her pom-poms. "Go, Mr. Fishy!!"

"I said stop calling me that!!" Kisame screeched irritably. It was unfortunately at that moment that Maido thrusted his fist ahead and accidentally hit the water warrior...below the belt – Rush flinched. "Ooh...that's gonna hurt in the morning."

"Not what I was planning, but I'll take it." Maido commented.

The three-headed demon took advantage of Kisame's state of pain and slammed his foot in the shark warrior's chin. The Monster of the Mist was flipped backwards across the ground, unwillingly discarding his Samehada across the air – a splash alerted its location. While Kisame forced himself to sit up with his one arm, Maido stopped in front of his the Flarus poised over his shoulder. And before the younger heroes were allowed a chance to react, the Guardian of Hell slashed his sword across Kisame neck and decapitated the unfortunate warrior. Mia and Cherry covered their eyes fearfully, Karma looked ready to pass out, and Rush and Jewel watched uneasily as Kisame's severed head rolled to their feet. All three heads held a smug look as Maido edged closer to the group, pressing his foot on top of the dead swordsman's head.

"Looks like your last line of defense has fallen." Maido said confidently.

"**Now its time your souls burned in Hell.**" The right head sniggered darkly.

"_You're not allergic to salt or pepper, are ya?_" The left head giggled.

"Kisame Sensei." Karma whimpered loudly, tears streaking down her eyes. "I'm sorry I called you Mr. Fishy. I really liked you as a teacher and a best friend." She hid her face in her hands. "Oh, why Kisame Sensei?!"

"You heartless monster." Jewel sneered. "I vow that I will not rest until you are sent back to Hell where you belong."

The three-headed monster merely grinned victoriously down at the children. But just then, Maido began to notice something unusual about the twin-colored hedgehog on the right side. Rush was glaring daggers at the Guardian of Hell, who began to notice a sharp spike in Rush's Chaos Energy – it was close to his own level. And it seemed the angrier he got, the more powerful Rush seemed to become and an unseen white aura resonated around him. Maido leveled his sword, preparing himself for the worst.

"_This must be the unusual entity the Nobody warned me about._" Maido thought warningly. "_He wasn't kidding; this child's power is beyond anything a normal individual can accomplish. I better take care of him before he become too powerful to deal with._"

Feeling threatened by Rush's unusual power, Maido prepared the Flarus over his shoulder and dashed ahead past Jewel and stopped in front of his target. The energy level was blown away instantly by Rush's surprised state as Maido raised his sword upwards and slashed it downwards. The Flarus had nearly cut into twin-colored hedgehog's shoulder when a familiar voice rang across the silent forest.

"**Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu!!**"

Maido's attack was stopped midway by his own shock and watched in astonishment as a column of water formed from the lake and exploded forward. The water pressure just missed Rush's shoulder and thrusted into Maido's chest, throwing him back into the trees with great power. While Guardian of Hell recovered from the technique, his suspicions were confirmed as Kisame Hoshigaki slowly breeched the surface of the lake and proved himself to be untouched. Rush, Mia, Jewel, and Cherry were shocked to see the water swordsman alive while Karma acted as if nothing had occurred at all.

"Nice distraction, kid." Kisame nodded to his apprentice. "And the whole crying act was a great touch."

"I do what I can." Karma smiled mischievously.

"You knew he was alive." Rush said aghast.

"How is that even possible?" Maido questioned sternly. "I know my attack should have..." He suddenly broke off; realization hit him. "Of course, that was your opportunity. Before I attacked, you performed a simultaneous Water Clone and Transformation Jutsu. You disguised yourself as the Samehada while it was your Water Clone that suffered your intended fate. You are possibly the cleverest foe I have ever had the pleasure to slaughter."

"**Blah, blah, blah!**" The right head growled impatiently. "**I am tire of your constant whining! Just kill him so we can move on collect our money!**"

"_Told you he was rude._" The left head commented; his opposite persona growled deeply.

With one final charge, Maido dashed ahead with the Flarus gripped tightly in his hand. The younger heroes dashed out of the dark demon's range and Kisame jumped high into the air as the Cerberus swiped his sword. The Monster of the Mist crouched on the nose of the X-Tornado with the Samehada resting on his shoulders, waiting for Maido to make his next move. And, much to Mia's horror, the Guardian of Hell thrusted his flame-based sword and expelled a steady stream of cindering inferno. And while Kisame was able to dodge the attack without trouble, the X-Tornado became the unfortunate victim of the battle and was dissolved into a puddle of silver liquid. The technical rabbit screamed in pure terror and fainted – Cherry fanned her with a discarded hanky. But back in the battle, all three heads of Maido the Cerberus lost sight of their aquatic opponent, despite having a complete view of the forest around them.

"Where did he go?" Maido questioned. "Do you see him anywhere?"

"_I think I see a cute little deer." _The left head stated absentmindedly.

"**I am getting tired of this idiocy!**" The right head snarled furiously. "**Either that freak of nature finish gets rid of this ignoramus, or I will!**"

"Let me save you the trouble."

And that was the end of it. All three heads were present with terrified looks in their eyes as they felt a simultaneous pressure in their united chest. The heads on each shoulder groaned inwardly and closed their eyes while Maido looked down at his heart, finding the unwrapped head of the Samehada stabbing through his torso. The navy-blue scales clinched against each other and slowly drained their seeping blood into the base of the sword, draining what little life Maido had left. The last thing the Guardian of Hell could listen to in his final moments was the pleased hissed emitting from the Samehada. After knowing that Maido had passed away, Kisame pressed his foot against the Cerberus' back and shoved him off the sharkskin blade. The body dropped to the ground with a dull thud – all eyes closed with their death – and Kisame sheathed his weapon.

"He was too inexperience to take me on." Kisame commented. "And according to the research collected by Alaster, the only one in the Seven Sword Lords that stands a chance against me is their leader. This guy was just walking to his grave."

"But the important thing is that we're alright." Karma said cheerfully.

"Alright?!?!?!" Mia screamed shrilly; Kisame cowered under her gaze. "You're stupid fight destroyed my father's best airplane!" She sniffed and started to tear up. "It was my prized possession and now it's gone forever!"

"Uh...sorry about that." Kisame mumbled shamefully.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Mia." Rush said, hoping to perk her up. "With a brain as big as yours, you'll be able to build a better plane than the X-Tornado."

This seemed to cheer the pre-teen rabbit slightly and even added a small redness in her cheeks – she was thankful that no one saw.

"Now what are we going to do?" Jewel sighed irritably. "It would have taken us an hour to get to South Kingdom in the air, but it will take us two days to get there on foot now. We're going to be later than expected."

"Maybe you could come with us." Karma added helpfully. "Me and Mr. Fishy were walking in that direction, anyway."

"Karma and I were assigned to a mission in a small town beyond the South Kingdom." Kisame explained, obviously irritated at his student's nickname. "We could lead you the right way and maybe even provide a little protection along the way. It's the least we could do for ruining your plane."

"Yeah, right." Mia said in a huff.

It was clear that she was not willing to forgive so easily. But the matter was that none of the heroes had the slightest clue where they were going from that point and decided it was best to follow them. After Karma and Kisame collected their straw hats, the two members of Akatsuki chose the path to the south and walked diligently through the forest. This was going to be hell for Rush.

* * *

The scene returns to the scarred battlefield seven hours following Maido's defeat as the crescent moon reached it highest point of the night. The Guardian of Hell's corpse remained unmoving after the brutal assault from the Monster of the Mist, but the hole in his chest seems to have disappeared due to an unexplained factor. The water sloshed gently against the lakeshore and the leaves rustled silently in the trees above. Then they appeared. And shadowed character flapped his wings against the moonlight and gently touched the ground as his partner slowly emerged from the water. Both creatures approached the Cerberus' corpse and watched the limp body, prodding it with their feet.

"Think he's finally dead." The smaller of the two creatures asked.

"I don't know." The winged beast said cluelessly, poking at the body. "I've never seen a dead life form before. Truly fascinating."

And just as the winged monster continued poking at the corpse with his finger, the Guardian of Hell suddenly grasped the warrior's wrist. Gasping heavily with a sharp jolt, the dark demon panted in shock once realizing where he was. After coming to the conclusion that he was alive, Maido released the winged creature and slowly sat up. But as he did so, the nerves and cells keeping his left head ripped away with a sickening squelch, leaving the disembodied heads to bleed in the dirt. Take back by this new development, Maido looked over to his right shoulder and discovered his other persona to be alive, but render unconscious.

"Ugh, how disgusting." The stout creature groaned in disdain. "What is that all about?"

"I'm not quite certain." Maido answered truthfully. "I remember dying at the hands of Kisame Hoshigaki, but I find myself alive with the sudden lose of my other counterpart. There must be some logical explanation for this."

"I have a theory." The winged warrior piped, drawing their attention. "When you supposedly "died", you lost one of your heads in the process. I have come to the conclusion that perhaps each head has its own life, giving you three lives in total – well, two now."

"So the Council of Death had a backup plan." Maido sniggered, ripping Flarus from the ground. "They were afraid that their guardian might get killed and provided extra lives to make him durable, smarter, and better prepared for a second chance. Kisame Hoshigaki is a formidable foe and impossible to take on alone. And then there is that Rush kid – it possesses enough Chaos Energy to rival Kisame's power, maybe even surpass it. But he's not trained enough to control it."

"So what's your plan, boss?" The stout creature asked irritably.

"It's simple, really." Maido grinned darkly. "We have the element of surprise on our side. Kisame Hoshigaki may have defeated one Sword Lord, but how would he stand against three?"

* * *

**A terror that refuses to die. Will Maido's unpredictable power give him the advantage needed to defeat Kisame? Will Rush and the others return home safely? And who are the two remaining Sword Lords? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	9. Good Karma, Bad Day

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Eight: Good Karma, Bad Day

The scene opens to the leafy green forest of the Southern Continent, just a couple miles from the borders. Only twenty-four hours have passed since Kisame Hoshigaki and Karma Tensuya came to the rescue of Rush and his new team. After a spectacular battle of skill and strength, the Monster of the Mist had overcome and "defeated" Maido of the Cerberus. Although he remained blissfully unaware of the true outcome. Rush the Hedgehog was irritably walking next to Kisame along the trail – his legs were itching to go for a quick run. The only reason the twin-colored chose to walk was for two reasons: to make sure his team was safe and so that Jewel wouldn't beat the crap out of him. Speaking of whom, Jewel the Echidna was carrying Mia on her back in the rear of the group with Cherry chirping occasionally overhead.

"I can't believe this." Jewel muttered savagely. "We only walk for fourteen miles and she falls apart like that. Ugh! I will never understand why you picked this spineless, gutless, athletically-inferior techno-geek as your sidekick."

"For one thing, she's not a sidekick – she's my partner." Rush replied, walking backwards to face her. "Two, I would really like it if you didn't insult my friends. And three, Mia may not be the strongest one on the team, but she's definitely gotten me out of a few tight situations."

"Like the time the Nobodies capture you?" Karma questioned innocently. Rush seemed so dumbstruck by her acknowledgement that he unconsciously smacked into a tree. "Mr. Fishy and I were standing on the roof of the palace when those Wanderer Nobodies popped in and nabbed you."

"I told you not to call me that!!" Kisame screamed furiously.

"What were you doing in Soleanna, anyway?" Rush asked curiously, crushing the leaves out of his quills. "If you were there, you could have lent a hand when those Nobodies jumped me."

"We were already assigned to a mission at that time." Kisame said secretively. "It didn't really matter to us what happened to you as long as we got the information we needed." He slipped his gaze from the hedgehog's view. "We only saved you from Maido because he was a threat to newest mission and needed to get him out of the way."

Though the Monster of the Mist excuse was enough to convince many, something in Rush's chest told him that the former Mist Swordsman was not entirely honest. Kisame must have known the real reason why the Guardian of Hell attacked them. After spending another hour of walking – it felt like ten days to Rush – Mia had snapped out of here temporary coma and twilight was descending over the mountainside. The party had made a momentary stop on the side of the dirt path to catch their breath after their long adventure. Karma, Mia, and Cherry were hopping in the tall grass, trying to chase grasshoppers, while Jewel was scratching her spiked knuckles into the bark of the trees. Rush was casually leaning against the nearest tree as he kept a close eye on the shark-like swordsman, who removed the Samehada and sat against the tree across from him. It was only know that the twin-colored hedgehog realized old he was. Kisame's light-blue skin was becoming more faded and had a grey tinge, two of his jagged teeth were missing, and as the swordsmen inclined his head, Rush noticed a thin row of stitches across his throat.

"Hey, what happened to your neck?" Rush asked curiously.

"Oh, this?" Kisame chuckled humorously. "I was stupid enough to get into a fight with the Raikage and his Jinchuuriki brother. They literally killed me with their bare hands – decapitated me with their arms."

"And you're still alive?" Mia gapped shockingly.

"I did die for a short while until the leader showed me mercy and brought me back." Kisame said gratefully. "After I died, I had a chance to reflect on my life. I remember the first time I killed – I was six years old, I took my fork, and stabbed my own parents in the throat over twenty times. And everything went down hill from there."

"Aw, but you're not like that anymore, Kisame-Sensei." Karma said admirably, leaning against her teacher's arm. "I've been with you for over four years and I know you would never do any of that bad stuff again."

"I have you and Itachi to thank for that." Kisame smiled appreciatively, ruffling the girl's hair. He took a quick glance to the approaching sunset, stood up, and replaced the Samehada in its holster. "Well, it's dangerous to keep going any longer and we should be two miles away until we're out of the forest. So, let's camp out and finish this adventure tomorrow." He stood to the team like a general to his troops. "All right ladies....and Rush. Our first order of business is to find a small clearing to set up camp."

"And where do you think we're going to find..." Jewel scoffed.

At that particular moment, the hotheaded echidna stood from her place and accidentally caught her foot in an exposed root. Having lost her balanced, Jewel fell to the ground and unintentionally curled herself into a ball, roll across the tall grass. The panicking echidna rebounded against the trunks of tree, catapulted off the narrow branches, and crunched through tall bushes before smacking her face into a random tree. Rush and his team could hear Jewel shouting a selection of words that forced Rush and Kisame to cover the ears of their younger companions. But despite all this trouble, the team had accidentally wandered into a small clearing with a crystal-clear river presented on the left side.

"Nice work, Jewel." Mia compliment; she seemed to struggle with the combination of words. "Now all we have to do is set up camp, collect some food, and start a fire."

"Karma and Mia..." Kisame started.

"Chao, chao!" Cherry snapped irritably.

"And Cherry." Kisame nodded exhaustingly. "You three can get to work on starting the campfire while the rest of us collect the food."

And with that, the group separated into two teams. Mia, Cherry, and Karma had managed to complete their tasks in less than a minute due to a number of freak accidents. Mia was retrieving leaves from the trees to make tents, but a sudden gust blew the leaves from their branches and somehow formed a hut that would fit everyone comfortably. Karma's task was to light a fire, which was somehow completed when a sudden bolt of lightning dropped from the sky and struck the pile of wood she had collected. The strangest thing was – there wasn't a cloud in the starry night sky. Meanwhile, the remaining three members of the unusual team were lined along the river, using handmade fishing rods to possibly collect a few of the aquatic animals. However, none of them had collected a single bit, but Kisame and Rush did not seem too concerned. In fact, both blue warriors were resting against the soft grass with their rods stabbed into the ground – Kisame was using his straw hat to catch some sleep. But being the stubborn woman that she was, Jewel was cursing at the water and swiping her pole against the surface.

"You're not going to attract them that way." Kisame said pointedly. "Animals can sense your tension and know to avoid possible hostility. You need to be calm and relax."

"How can you relax?!" Jewel snapped. "It's much easier to water in the middle of a desert that to catch a damn fish in this mother..."

"Better watch that temper of yours before you bust a vein." Rush said jokingly; Jewel smacked him over the head. "Ow! Why do you always do that?"

"No one asked for your opinion!" Jewel snarled.

"Ah, young love." Kisame sighed nonchalantly.

The young heroes heard him quite clearly and began shout profusely that they were not in love, despite their flushed expressions. Meanwhile, Karma was jumping from branch to branch, collecting fruit from the trees and holding them in a bundle of her cloak. But as she went to pick a ripe-looking mango, the fruit dropped to the earth and rolled across the grass in the direction of the bickering heroes. Rush had made a rude comment about Jewel's face and the infuriated echidna drew back her fist to blast him out of the forest. But by some stroke of luck, Jewel took a step forward and landed on the mango, causing her to lose balance and be thrown into the river. And not a second later, Kisame's rod began tugging heavily and the Mist Swordsman retracted his catch. He was at first disappointed by the fact that he had caught Jewel by the collar of her shirt, but his mood changed once noticing the twenty-foot fish trying to eat her legs.

"Well, that's one way to make a catch." Kisame commented jokingly.

Later that night, after the sun had finally disappeared and the moon had revealed itself, the young heroes and their Akatsuki escorts were gathered around the fire, devouring the fish that Jewel had...captured. Possibly due to his high metabolism, Rush ate nearly half the fish until Jewel punched the hedgehog into the river – Mia performed yet another rescue. The hot-blooded was still in a bad mood for the number of unfortunate accidents that have been plaguing her all day. She barely touched the food offered to her and watched the others as they consumed their fill. The only one that didn't seem to be eating besides her was Kisame, who had settled himself on a high branch and was staring at the crescent moon. After rescuing her Chao from chocking on a scale, a thought occurred to the mechanical genius of the team.

"You two have been in Akatsuki for a while now." Mia said with a note of curiosity. "But why did you join Akatsuki in the first place. My daddy always told me that Akatsuki was an evil group bent on world domination."

"That's what Madara Uchiha wanted." Kisame said, growling under his breathe. "He was hiding behind the scenes, controlling everyone with deception and false promises. But when I joined Akatsuki thirty years ago, I really didn't have a problem with it – I just wanted to cut someone's throat." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, trying to envision the past. "When Akatsuki was first formed, the Third Mizukage – Madara Uchiha – told me of a secret organization that would fulfill my wildest dreams. I can't say he was lying."

"I used to be part of a circus." Karma added cheerfully. "My act was to perform death-defying such as jumping into a tank of sharks, walking a tightrope of fire, or climbing a skyscraper without any security. In the end, I always came out alive."

"Wait a minute!" Mia exclaimed gleefully. "I remember you! You're the Goddess of Fate! Aunt Amy took me and Alina to watch you perform when you jumped into a pool of acid and came out untouched. Though, you could have at least had a towel to...cover yourself after the show."

"Man, why'd I have to catch the flu that day." Rush moaned disappointed; Jewel punched him in the face.

"So how'd you go from an evil group to good guys?" Mia questioned.

"After the old leader kicked the bucket, our new leader decided to rebuild Akatsuki." Kisame informed. "Of course, after he took over, it was only him and Konan. They spent a few weeks to find my corpse and used the Gedo Mazo to revive me, only on the grounds that I wouldn't kill anyone in cold blood. However, they didn't completely revive me...." His eyes glanced down to his useless left arm. "Anyway, the three of us were a team for several years until we decided to expand our organization. Konan saw Karma's unusual ability during her show and asked her to join four years ago."

"I was the seventh person to join." Karma smiled absentmindedly. "Pretty lucky, huh?"

"What unusual ability does she have?" Jewel asked.

"Karma had this same ability since she was born." Kisame stated. "She can alternate the chances of fate and create either good or bad luck, which explains why she was names Karma."

"I'm a freak of nature, just like Mr. Fishy!" Karma cheered.

"I told you not – oh, forget it!" Kisame grumbled aggravated.

"Wait a minute..." Jewel said slowly; her right eye twitched in annoyance. "Are you saying that everything that has happened to me might be because she's been manipulating fate? All this bad luck I've been having was because of her?"

"It might be bad luck to you, but it's been good luck for us." Rush commented, ducking behind his rabbit friend.

"Karma can't control her powers." Kisame excused. "No one knows how she can change the possibility of chance, but according to Konan, it is caused by a 'subjective experience, associated with mood, temperament, personality, and disposition'."

"What does that mean?" Rush cocked his head in confusion.

"I have no clue." Kisame said bluntly.

"While you figure that out..." Jewel growled malevolently, cracking her knuckles ominously. "I'm going to beat the crap out of her!"

With a scream of panic, Karma jumped to her feet and dash in the opposite direction as the hot-blooded echidna began charging forward. Jewel smashed her way through the cooked fish hanging over the fire, surprisingly unharmed by the flames, and chased the blond Akatsuki into the grass hut. The younger heroes, Mist Swordsman, and cherry-red chao watched with amusement as the leafy shelter rattled, shivered, and, amazingly, flipped backwards once before falling into a scattered pile. Both girls emerged from the wreckage, both in a daze, before Karma made another scramble for escape.

"Um...shouldn't we help them?" Mia asked.

"It'd do us more harm than help." Kisame smirked playfully, covering his face with his straw hat. "Karma can take care of herself. The only thing we really have to worry about is if the echidna girl goes insane."

"But..."

"Stop worrying, Mia." Rush said nonchalantly, grasping his friend by the shoulder. "Just sit back and enjoy the show."

The technical rabbit was always against pointless fight, but since it was Jewel, Mia was willing to make an exception. Speaking of whom, the hotheaded echidna was smashing her family trait into the bark of a tree, trying to force Karma out of the branch above. Once realizing that bare fists were not going to work, Jewel unclipped the Shovel Claws from the back of her belt and smiled in a sinister manner. And in one strong thrust, the white-furred warrior snapped the trunk from the roots in the ground. The Goddess of Fate cried in a terrifying panic as the tall oak collapsed backwards towards the direction of the river. And yet again with her mysterious powers, Karma dropped off the branch on the opposite side of the river and landed safely in a soft bush. At the same instant, the trunk of the tree rebounded off the ground and smacked Jewel in the chin, sending her flying high into the sky. Mia pulled out a pair of binoculars and smiled with glee as she landed several miles to the west.

"That'll teach her to scratch my plane." Mia said, snapping her head to Kisame. " Which _someone _just happened to destroy!"

"You're never going to let that go, are ya?" Kisame groaned.

"Hey, how long do you think it'll take until she gets back?" Rush asked curiously.

Apparently, not long enough. Not even a moment after Karma managed to untangle herself from the stems of the bushes, a pair of strong oaks was ripped aside with a thunderous thud. Jewel's face was red with pure anger and hatred for the Goddess of Fate, who was literally shaking in her boots. Before the blond Akatsuki was given a chance to run, the white-furred echidna lifted the fallen log off the ground and tossed it overhead and watched it land in Karma's path. This left the two females alone while the rest of their team watched from afar – Rush was glad he wasn't the one in trouble this time.

"Listen, isn't there some way we can settle this without violence." Karma pleaded nervously.

"You really don't know me too well, do ya?" Jewel scolded.

"But you can't really blame me." Karma whimpered, leaning back against the log. "I mean, Kisame-Sensei said I can't control my powers. How can you beat me up for something that I don't know how to work?"

"I don't know, but it makes me feel better." Jewel stated, bashing her fists together.

The feminine warrior was clearly into no mood to talk any longer. Once replacing the Shovel Claws on her belt, Jewel pressed her feet into the ground, burying her shoe slightly in the dirt, and moved in preparation for attack. Karma was not one to fight directly and attempted to crawl backwards over the log, unknowingly snagging a thick branch with her cloak. Jewel jumped forward with her spiked fist ahead to prevent the blond daredevil from escaping, but luck was just not on her side. In another unexpected twist of fate, Karma fully fell backwards onto the ground and the captured branch was released with a sharp snap. The branch swiped at Jewel once close enough, slamming into the enraged echidna between the eyes, instantly sending her into an unconscious state. But if you think Karma had won the fight, you would be wrong. At the same time that Jewel was put to rest, Karma accidentally slammed the back of her head against an exposed rock, causing her to lose consciousness as well. Kisame and the younger heroes blinked in surprise at the outcome.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Kisame commented.

Two hours passed following Jewel's brief rampage, giving her and Karma time to recover. Rush and Mia had managed to repair their temporary shelter and food supply that was destroyed from the fight while Kisame stood guard between the girls. Jewel and Karma were sitting on opposite sides of the fire – the blond Akatsuki scooted closer to her teacher. The feminine warrior was still glaring at Karma even after Rush and Mia plopped down on either side of her.

"Give it a break, Jewel." Rush sighed contentedly. "You lost, so deal with it."

"I didn't lose!" Jewel snapped, threatening the hedgehog with her fist. "If it wasn't for her stupid powers, I would have ripped her limb from limb in the first five seconds. The only thing she has on her side is luck."

"I don't think this has anything to do with Karma." Kisame commented seriously; everyone snapped their heads curiously. "I think the reason you were so angry at Karma is because you felt betrayed by someone you were just considering to be your friend. I can see it in your eyes..." Jewel tried to look away, but she was caught in the Mist Swordsman's stare. "So one you once trusted has hurt you badly and now you're not sure who to trust. You try to keep yourself distant so that you won't get hurt again."

"So what?" Jewel scoffed. "It's not like friends can help anything."

"Hey, that's no way to act." Rush said, surprisingly stern. "If you've got a problem, you can't just push everyone away and keep those feelings bottled up inside you. There are a lot of people who'd want to help you."

"I know I would." Mia said shyly; Jewel seemed thoroughly surprised by the offer. "I know we don't get along very well, but I would feel bad if I know you were hurting from something." She touched the echidna's shoulder with a gentle smile. "If you ever need anything, even just a little talk, I'm willing to listen. Especially if it's about..." She glanced at Rush awkwardly. "Girl stuff."

"Trust me, I don't want to know." Rush said assured.

"I was hurt by someone." Jewel admitted with a struggle. "But that's exactly why I have to keep fighting – so that I can get stronger than him. And when the time comes, I'm gonna kick his ass and make him regret everything that happened on that day."

"That's what you're doing wrong." Kisame said pointedly; Jewel snapped her head in attention. "I knew a man that was just as angry as you and allowed himself to be consumed by his own hatred. He killed many great men and threw aside his friends like they were nothing but dead weight. To this day, he is one of the most hated enemies of all nations. You need friends who love and care for you..." He turned his head to Karma. "Starting now."

Jewel and Karma stared at one another with uncertainty in their expression. Samehada was shifting on Kisame's back and could tell that the feminine warrior still held a great dislike of the blond Akatsuki. The Mist Swordsman raised a hand to his sword hilt as Jewel thrusted her fist forward to Karma. But instead of punching her lights out like everyone predicted, Jewel instead extended a hand of friendship to Karma, who took the offer without haste.

"I guess I could do with a few friends." Jewel said, smiling weakly.

"Aw, looks like the big bad brawler has a little soft spot." Rush said teasingly.

Jewel growled and prepared to punch the hedgehog into oblivion, but she was already beaten to the punch. At that precise moment, a big gust of wind blew by and shot one of the embers into Rush's quills. The twin-colored hedgehog screamed in panic as he suddenly felt the temperature run high in his precious locks. Without even taking a moment to think, Rush dashed over and jumped headfirst into the river. Once again, he forgot he couldn't swim.

"I think we're going to get along just fine." Jewel laughed.

* * *

Meanwhile, the scene alternates to a hidden labyrinth two hundred miles east of Soleanna beneath an uncharted wasteland. But despite the lack of life, the Heartless and Nobodies were secretly patrolling between the rocks, watching for anyone that would even attempt to intrude upon the land. And several feet below the surface, their mutual masters were standing poised in a dark and desolate room that seemed severally unfit for human life. But that did not mean they were alone. In fact, they were facing a man who was sitting on a stone seat – his upper body was masked in shadows.

"You better have a good reason for appearing in front of me." The shadowed man said darkly. "I have no patience for those who waste my time."

"I can promise that you will find our time valuable." Naga said cunningly. "My colleague and I have recently encountered a young boy with astonishing powers that might interest you. According to our reports, this boy has enough to rival or maybe even surpass a Jinchuuriki. We already know you have experience dealing with them."

"Let me guess: you want me to capture him." The man said irritably. "I have no interest in chasing a child that you couldn't hold on to."

"It is not such a matter." Naga shook, smirking malevolently. "You see, we already have a group of eager warriors chasing after the hedgehog as we speak, despite their recent failure to obtain him. But this is only due to the interference of Akatsuki."

At the instant the word left his lips, the shadowed man threw out his arm and shot a pointed weapon for the serpent's eyes. The Heartless superior merely grinned with cunning as Kai jumped between them, deflecting the weapon with his dagger. The long-haired Nobody stood between the attacker and his master, daring the man to try a second strike.

"Don't mention that name around me." the man scolded. "I lost everything because of them."

"Quite understandable, but this is why we're coming to you." Naga proclaimed. "A special event will be taking place two months from now in the South Kingdom, hosted by King Sonic himself, and we see this as an opportunity." The hidden man shifted his movement, seemingly interested. "We have collected the data from Rush the Hedgehog and found certain connects to other creatures on this world. With you're help, we can take this power for our own."

"Besides the power, what's in it for me?" The man questioned.

"I can offer you the one thing no one else can." Naga hissed malevolently. "The daughter of your most hated enemy."

The man of darkness remained silent, seeming pondering over the opportunities that have been presented to him. Kai still remained cautious, but Naga could see the answer already forming in the man's head before it was even announced. Finally, the shadowed man stood from his see – his cold black eyes peering into Naga's striking gold ones.

"All right, what do you need?" The man asked.

* * *

**The trouble never seems to stop. What incident has caused Jewel to be so distrustful to others? Will Rush and Mia be able to break through her wall? And what new alliance has Naga secured? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	10. Anything for Family

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto  
Heartless © Square Enix

Chapter Nine: Anything for Family

The scene opens to an overhead view of the prestigious South Kingdom, the worlds leading center of trades and exports. Once Sonic had accepted his duty as king following the Dark Ruler's defeat, his first order of business was to move South Island to the mainland. The cobalt hedgehog had planned this as both to expand the bonds with their allies and to give Sonic more opportunities to run away when things get too busy. South Kingdom was a modest city that was no bigger than Soleanna or Babylon Garden, despite its high-ranking profile. The city was nestled close to the shore of the Pacific Ocean with a large mountain looming above that also supported the porcelain-white castle. At the main entrance to South Kingdom, two guards wear uniforms adorned with the South Kingdom crest – a crimson phoenix in a ring of fire – were staring off into space in sheer boredom.

"That cloud looks like a saber-tooth." The porcupine guard pointed.

"The animal or the mutant?" The human guard asked.

"Is there a difference?" The porcupine shrugged.

"Wow, you father must not pay enough for protection, kid." A third, deeper voice sniggered.

At once, both guards jumped to their feet with battle ax and spear respectively – Sonic banned firearms from his kingdom – but where beaten to the punch as a covered sword was held to their throats. Kisame Hoshigaki could feel the Samehada in his hand shiver joyously at the fear radiating from the guards. With a superior smirk, the Monster of the Mist sheathed his weapon, allowing the guards to regain their defense. But just as they were prepared to take Kisame prisoner, Rush the Hedgehog stopped into view from behind Kisame with Karma, Mia and Cherry, and Jewel following him. Upon seeing the twin-colored hedgehog both guards lowered their weapons and bowed to him.

"Prince Rush." The porcupine guard said respectfully. "We've been waiting eagerly for your return."

"No eagerly enough." Rush said cockily, tapping his foot impatiently. "So...how's my dad handling me being gone for four days straight?"

"The king feels that you could have handled yourself just fine." The human guard proclaimed, standing in attention with his partner. But the queen is....a little....how do I say this....?"

"Pissed off?" Jewel said helpfully.

"No, it's worse, but we'll go with that." The human said quickly.

"That doesn't sound good." Mia laughed shakily. "We better tell her everything is all right before she calls the National Guard and the SWAT team....again."

Karma and Jewel – the hot-blooded echidna starting to warm-up – unknowingly shared a simultaneous thought. Was Rush's mother insane. Kisame merely sniggered knowingly and followed the youngest two members of the group into the streets of South Kingdom. Since Karma and Jewel were the only ones that have never visited the City of Legends, they were astonished by all the things what South Kingdom had to offer. Being the center of world trade, sixty percent of the area was covered with shops and merchants urging locals and travels to purchase their items. Kisame had to pull away his student before she was tricked into buying a mound of dirt shaped like a pig. After managing to survive the terrors of the market, Rush led his new team through the residential area of the city. Adult and children alike greeted Rush in an informal manner, which the twin-colored hedgehog preferred over his princely title. Few of the younger residence moved closer to get a closer look at Rush and Mia's newest friends, but backed away once catching sight of Kisame. This is one of the negative aspects of have shark-like skin and teeth. The team marched their way up the hill towards the castle – Kisame sulked over the names the children called him – and stopped in front of the twenty foot doorway.

"Ooh, big house." Karma said childishly

"It's called a castle, Karma." Kisame smirked to his protégée

"Ok, before we go in, let's get our stories straight." Rush said urgently to his friends. "I was on my way to deliver the package to Uncle Jet when I was suddenly ambushed by a swarm of Heartless ninjas. I bravely beat them all single-handedly until Kai snuck up behind me and knocked me out with a rock in the back of my head."

"Chao, chao." Cherry rolled his eyes.

"Just stick with it." Rush said exasperatedly. "Anyway. I woke up the next day in Naga's prison and bravely battled my way against an army of Nobodies when Mia showed up in the X-Tornado. We left short after I kicked Naga's teeth out, but the plane was damaged before we could escape. And that's why it took so long to come back."

"Where do Kisame and the others come in?"

"Actually, I didn't think about tha – AHH!!" Rush screamed as he turned.

The twin-colored was captured under the gaze of the only people he could never defeat: his parents. Sonic the hedgehog still resembled much of what he looked like before Rush's birth, including the wild quills and scar on his left cheek. His attire consisted of a sleeveless, red jacket with a golden zipper, red boots with white straps, a pair of white gloves, and a golden ring on his right ring finger. Amy rose had really slimmed down since her days of pregnancy, making her even more attractive with silky, waist-length hair. She had dressed herself in a rosy-red Chinese qipao dress, white formfitting pants, a pair of red/white slippers, and a golden ring on her right ring finger. And before the twin-colored hedgehog could make a mad dash for freedom, Amy grabbed her only son by the ear.

"You are in serious trouble, Rush Elliot the Hedgehog!!" Amy screeched.

"Elliot..." Jewel snorted under her breath.

"Ow! Mom, that hurts!" Rush whined.

"Well, it should!" Amy scolded angrily. "Do you have any idea how worried sick I was?! You'll be lucky if I don't spank you silly by the end of the day!"

"Now let's not go overboard." Sonic said collective, tearing his wife and son away from each other. "The important thing is that Rush is home safe and sound with Mia and some friend watching over him." He turned to Kisame and bowed respectfully, who returned the gesture. "Thanks for taking care of him Kisame."

"It wasn't my intention, but I was glad to help." Kisame said with a toothy grin. "When I first saw him, I never realized he was your son. But after all the trouble he cause with Maido, he reminded of you when you Pein during the Dark Siege's temporary reign."

"Maido the Cerberus?" Sonic said interestingly. "What was he....?"

"Daddy..."

The group went silent and turned to the doorway as a small figure edged cautiously around the edge. The unknown character looked between the newcomers and shiver slightly under Kisame's gaze, but stopped trembling when seeing Mia. And when she saw Rush, the tiny creature jumped out and charged for the twin-colored hedgehog. She was an nine year-old rosy-pink hedgehog with eight dangling quills that reached to her shoulders with the exception of one that reached down her spine. She wore a white sleeveless with red lines intersecting each other, a pair of red slacks with two vertical white lines on each side, a pair of plain white gloves, purple/white running shoes, and a charm bracelet on her left wrist. The little girl allowed a toothy smile to stretch across her features and jumped into Rush's waiting arms, who laughed as she tackled into her chest.

"Yay! Big brother's back!" The little girl cheered.

"Of course I'm back, Alina." Rush grinned mischievously, tickling his sister's stomach. "There's no way I could ever stay away from my favorite girl."

"S-s-stop i-i-it!" Alina laughed. "Yo-ou-r me-e-ean big bro-o-other!"

Even Amy, who was still furious at the older sibling, who not resist seeing her children so happy. Even Jewel, whose heart was as closed as stone, could not resist smiling at them – it still brought back horrible memories. But mixed in with all the laughter, Alina started coughing violently and breathed heavily into her small hands. Karma, Kisame, and Jewel watched worried as the hedgehog family, Mia, and Cheery moved closer to the little girl, looking worried that she might faint. And in the Mist Swordsman's eyes, that seemed like a possibility. Under his sharp gaze, Kisame noticed that Alina's skin was severely drained of natural color and her eyes seemed tired and out of focus. Shooing away his friends and family, Rush rested his sister's head on his shoulder and patted her back gently.

"We better get you back into bed, kiddo." Rush murmured softly.

"You promised me a story." Alina said tiredly.

"And it's a story you'll get." Rush said soothingly. "How about I tell you the one where I single-handedly defeated the evil Heartless Naga and saved the cute princess and her hothead of a brother."

Alina giggled lightly, coughing simultaneously. Rush's usual swagger seemed to have vanished that moment as he slowly carried his sickly sister into the castle. Mia, Cherry, and the parental hedgehog followed in his stead with Kisame stepping close behind them. Even Karma's happy nature seemed to be downcast and Jewel actually felt concerned for the first time. But unknown to the heroes, a small shadow swept across the high wall and over the barracks.

* * *

Over and hour later, the scene alternates to Alina's room inside the castle. The chamber had light-blue wallpaper covering the walls and star patterns on the ceiling that made it look like the night sky – Tails had made it to show actual shooting stars. Family photos were shown on a nearby table, toys were littered on one side of the room, and a four-posted bed rested at the head of the room. Alina was tucked under starry bedspread, smiling happily as Rush sat at her bedside and told his um....true story of defeating Naga. Mia and Cherry were peeking into the room from the doorway while Jewel was leaning against the wall – Kisame and Karma were currently speaking with the South Kingdom rulers.

"What's the story with the kid?" Jewel asked suddenly.

"Alina is Rush's little sister." Mia explained. "When she was born, she was perfectly health for the first week. But after that, Alina has been gravely sick for a long time – longer than even I could remember. At first, the doctors thought she was just recovering from the birth process until they realized that he condition was getting more critical everyday."

"More critical?" Jewel repeated worried.

"Chao, chao." Cherry nodded sadly.

"They found out that her heart rate and body temperature was getting dangerously low." Mia said mournfully; she seemed to be trying not to cry. "We've been giving her medicine that can make her as normal as possible, but she inherited Sonic's metabolism and makes it less effective than it should. When she began noticing how sick she was, we've just been telling her that she has a cold and needs to stay in bed. Despite this, she tries to act happy and cheerful."

"She doesn't even realize she's slowly dying." Jewel sighed deeply. "Poor kid."

"We're trying to make her as happy as possible." Mia stated.

Jewel felt a pang of equal part sympathy and jealous in her heart when looking back to the siblings. She was sympathetic because Rush could lose his sister, but jealous because at least she loves him. Both females and chao listened openly as Rush finished his story by explain how he 'heroically' saved Kisame from the malevolent Maido the Cerberus. Alina clapped cheerfully at the end of the tale and allowed herself to be tucked further into the covers. The older sibling brushed his fingers through her hair and gently kissed her forehead.

"Better get some rest, kiddo." Rush whispered softly. "When you get better, I'm taking you on an adventure across the border."

"Promise?" Alina asked innocently.

"Promise." Rush nodded.

With thoughts of possibly leaving the protective walls of the castle, Alina turned on her side and nuzzled her head into her red-silk pillow. Rush slowly backed out of the room and closed the door with a soft click. The twin-colored hedgehog's happy façade instantly diminished and slumped down to the ground with his face in his hands, sighing heavily.

"Are you going to be all right?" Mia asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You know..." Rush said in a hollow voice. "That's about the only promise I've made that I would never be able to keep."

"You never know that." Jewel commented. "You could find..."

"Don't say we can find help!" Rush snapped; this is the first time Jewel has ever seen him angry. "The best doctors in the world have been trying to finds a cure for her and none of them have ever worked! Do you know what I see every night before I go to sleep?!" The other members of the team remained silent. "I always see her shaking and crying in her sleep – the look of pain on her face...."

"Rush..." Mia murmured softly as the hedgehog broke down into hysterical sobs.

"So you're just gonna give up like that?" Jewel scowled. "The great Rush the Hedgehog just admits defeat?"

"What the hell do you want me to do?!" Rush screamed, jumping to his feet. "I don't expect you to understand what my family is feeling! You could never know what it feels like to lose someone you love!"

That was the straw that broke the echidna's back. Without warning, Jewel thrusted her hand forward and latched it around Rush's throat, forcefully lifting him off the ground. Mia and Cherry panicked and tried to pry the hotheaded warrior's hand away, but Jewel was not budging. Rush and Jewel exchanged glares with one another. In was there, in her passionate-violet eyes, that the twin-colored hedgehog could see the truth: she did understand. Meanwhile, Alina was lying awake with her attention directed to the closed door, listening to every word they were saying. Ever since she was five, Alina had known the truth about her condition when she accidentally overheard the conversation between her parents and the doctor. The words still ringed in her minds after four years.

"_We can provide her with the necessary medication to give her a few more years. But no one less than Dr. Butterfly can hope to cure this ailment. I afraid that she will die eventually._

Ever since then, Alina has taken the burden of trying to stay strong for her family and make them as happy as possible. But despite all this, it did nothing to stop the pains in her chest when ever she got excited or when she was sleeping. It was like this unknown virus was trying to make sure she was never happy. But Alina was not going to lose that battle. The little hedgehog heard a tweet coming from the open window and looked over to discover and palm-sized blue jay standing on the sill.

"Hello, Azul." Alina smiled. She held her hands open for the bird to land and nuzzled her nose against its beak. "How are you doing today? Guess what? My big brother came home today." The bird tweeted in response; Alina giggled. "Come on, he's not that much of an idiot. He's just a little – maybe you're right."

Alina gave a soft laugh and the blue jay known as Azul chirped in its own form of laughter. However, Azul suddenly stopped chirping and stared into the corner, where a lone shadow was drifted against the surface of the wall. Alina stared at the shadow with equal curiosity and jumped back in her bed with her hand closed over Azul as the shadow suddenly came to life. The dark being drifted closer to the four-poster bed with its long sword twitching in hand. The beast looked much like an angel of death with jet-black skin, a heart-shaped crown, a bladed tail, and a heart-shaped hole in its chest. The Invisible drifted closer to the bedridden hedgehog and slowly lifted its blade overhead.

"Rush...." Alina wheezed softly, coughing roughly. "Rush..."

But her voice was not loud enough to drift beyond the door way – she was as good as dead. Just as the Invisible swiped down its sword, the wooden doorway was rupture into fragments on the floor following the entrance of a red blur. Cherry the Chao made contact with the Heartless' forehead and forced the demon to stagger backwards, granting Jewel enough time to jump over and slam her fist into its face. While the Invisible smashed into the dresser across the room, Mia and Rush could dashed to his sister's side and lifted her into his arms – Azul chirped overhead.

"Alina, are you ok?" Rush asked worried.

"Rush..." Alina said; her breathing was heavy.

"Just get her out of here." Jewel snarled, reaching into her belt for the Shovel Claws. "Leave this abomination to me. I need to vent out my frustrations anyway."

On normal occasions, Rush would have made a joke about her short temper. But Alina's safety was a greater priority. The Heartless swordsman had suspected their plan and tossed its sword into the air at the very moment Rush turned to speed away. The long sword stabbed into the doorway and somehow formed a barrier of pure darkness, preventing the hedgehog siblings from exiting the room. Knowing it had trapped its victims, the Invisible drifted a foot above the ground and raised its tail forward, presenting the bladed edge. Jewel, still aggravated by Rush's earlier provocation, clasped the Shovel Claws forward and swiped at the Heartless swordsman. The Invisible stabbed its bladed tail in the path of the Shovel Claw, suddenly thrown off balance by the superior strength presented by the echidna. While still following in her motion, Jewel pressed her hands into the floor and thrusted her heel into the demon's chin, throwing it into the ceiling. While clearing its head of the flashing stars, which were actually part of the ceiling, the Invisible looked between the expectant Jewel the other children trying to escape.

"Come on, can't you work faster." Rush hissed, rocking Alina in his arms anxiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Mia snapped sarcastically; she and Cherry were trying to pull the sword free. "Maybe you'd like to pry a two ton sword out of the ground. Really, I would have no problem!"

"Man, you two bicker like an old married couple." Jewel commented.

Rush sneered at the feminine warrior, which was the perfect moment for the blushing rabbit. This was the perfect opportunity. While Jewel was distracted by the different responses from her friends, the Invisible jumped down from its place and swiped its feet at the echidna's face. The hot-blooded female was thrown over Rush's head and landed in the four-poster bed, which collapsed over her. Swing its tail like a pendulum, the Invisible drifted closer to the remaining heroes while Jewel struggled to break free from the drapes. Sensing the danger for her friends, Mia stepped in front for Rush's aid and clutched Cherry securely into her palms. The technical rabbit pulled back her arm as far as she could go and rocketed the unusual creature for the Invisible's face. Unfortunately, the Heartless swordsman's movements were much faster and threw its claw out to grab the cherry-red chao. But at the last moment, Cherry activated his phantasmal and phased through the entire length of the Invisible's arm before emerging on the other side. Cherry uncurled in midair, checked himself over, and cheered happily that he was unharmed. He was thrown into the floor a moment later.

"Well, you've gotta give him credit for trying." Mia shrugged.

The Invisible growled at the children, leaving Rush in a compromise. He couldn't fight back with Alina in his arms, giving her to Mia would leave them both open, and she would be dead if placed on the floor. So as a last resort, the twin-colored hedgehog turned his back to the demon to shield his sister as the Invisible lifted its bladed tail. Fortunately enough, Azul the blue jay flapped wildly into its face and started pecking at the Invisible's eyes, evasively avoiding its hands. At that same moment, Jewel finally ripped her way out of the drape, panting heavily from the collective heat.

"Hey, hothead, catch!" Rush shouted.

"Wha?" Jewel slurred.

Before she knew it, the hot-blooded female was holding Alina in her arms. The twin-colored hedgehog dashed to the other end of the room with a burning rage present in his eyes – that monster was dead. Azul instantly fluttered out of the way once sensing the older sibling, leaving the Heartless Swordsman with a bloody eye. And to the unknowing demon, Rush skipped off the ground and swiped his foot across the Invisible's face, sending it spiraling it the ground. But the twin-colored hedgehog wasn't going to let it off that easily – not a chance. Once rebounding off the ground, Rush threw both his legs forward and smashed his heels into the demon's forehead, thrusting the beast into the wall. And for the coup de grace, Rush curled himself into his ball form and remained in place for a few shot moments, collecting energy as the Invisible slowly staggered upwards. Hatred filled the hedgehog and unconsciously inherited a white aura around him – only Jewel faintly noticed it. The twin-colored hedgehog threw himself forward with his father's signature Spin Dash and slammed into the Invisible's hollow chest with a sickening crunch. The force of the impact blast open the wall and tossed the Invisible into the corridor, leaving Rush panting heavily in frustration in the gap.

"And that's why..." Rush gasped tense. "You shoulder never...piss me off."

"Rush, are you ok?" Mia asked worried.

"As long as Alina is safe." Rush said tiredly.

"_What was that just now?_" Jewel thought curiously. "_I haven't seen a power like that since.....since that mongoose girl showed up four months ago. I wonder if..._"

"Rush..." Alina moaned weakly.

The children looked back to Alina, who was now coughing much more vigorously than before. The Invisible slowly emerged from the rubble and discreetly kept itself hidden until it was certain to had a chance. It was not going to waste this opportunity. Recalling its lengthy blade with its mind, the Invisible erupted from the rubble and swiped the sword from the air. Clearly catching the children by surprise, the Invisible lunged forward and swiped its blade downwards.

"**Sonic Wind!!**"

At the call of his signature technique, Sonic appeared from seemingly nowhere with a sphere of cerulean-blue Chaos Energy in his open hand. The Heartless was barely able to register the events that passed before its face was ripped to shreds by the miniature hurricane. The cobalt king stopped in front of the children as the Heartless faded into nonexistence long before Amy, Kisame, and Karma charged down the corridor.

"See, I told ya Samehada could feel evil in the castle." Kisame sniggered. "And that proves it wasn't me for once."

"I knew it wasn't you, Mr. Fishy." Karma commented cheerfully.

"I told you not to call me that!!" Kisame snarled.

"Are you kids all right?" Amy asked concerned, looking them over for injuries. "At the very least you haven't taken any serious injuries. I guess that means we won't have to take another trip to the hospital."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Jewel murmured fearfully.

The group looked over their panic-stricken friend before looking down at her arms, where most of her attention was directed. Alina looked calm and peaceful, despite all the trauma that had surrounded her. But Sonic quickly kneeled close to his only daughter and took the rosy-pink hedgehog into his arms – his body was shaking frantically. And when looking closer to his sickly sister, Rush realized the horrible truth: Alina had stopped breathing.

* * *

The scene alternates to the South Kingdom Medical Care one hour following the event at the castle. The crew had quickly deposited Alina into the care of the medical staff, who had quickly cleared their schedule to help the princess. Once the rosy-pink hedgehog had disappeared beyond the doors, the heroes had no choice but to wait. Rush and Sonic were more in tuned than usual as they paced back and forth in the hall, literally creating a ditch in the floor. Amy was too distraught at her daughter's health that she didn't have the heart to stop them. Mia and Cherry were trying to cheer up the concerned mother while Jewel leaned solemnly against the wall. Kisame and Karma had left South Kingdom only moments after seeing that Alina made it to the hospital safely. And after a long period of waiting, a wasp doctor emerged from beyond the doorway, attracting the attention of friends and family.

"How is she, doc?" Sonic asked instantly.

"It's hard to say." The wasp responded. "We've tried every medical practice available. The excitement from what you had described intensified the pressure of the virus, spreading the contamination further into her systems. We've tried giving her sedatives to prolong the spread, but her immune system is rejecting them."

"What does that mean?" Jewel questioned.

"Unless Dr. Butterfly suddenly walks into this building, Alina will be dead in sixty hours." The wasp answered mournfully.

All was silent – not even the chirps of the carefree birds could disturb the bubble. Immediately, dread and fear washed over them that Amy could no longer keep her emotions in check. The rose daughter jumped into her husband's arms and wailed with agony into her shoulder. Cherry dropped to Mia shoulder in sadness, who looked down at the ground, and Jewel merely looked out the window indifferently. But Rush seemed to take this news the worst.

"You're...you're lying..." Rush moaned, clenching his fists. "I promised her...we were going to have adventures together..."

"I'm sorry, son." The wasp said sympathetically. "If I could only..."

"You're lying!" Rush screamed, making everyone jump. "She's going to be better! She's going to be fine!"

But denying the truth wasn't going to help. The twin-colored hedgehog turned on his heels and dashed out of the hospital with drops of water flying in his wake. He didn't bother to say sorry to everyone he pushed aside or waited to explain to the guards why he was leaving the city. All that matter was to get as far away from the truth as possible – away from all the pain. Why did Alina had to suffer for everything? She was always innocent and kind. Why did she deserve such a fate? The twin-colored hedgehog did not pay attention to where he was going and tripped on an exposed root, falling flat on his face. But that didn't matter to him anymore – nothing mattered at all. He just wanted to lie there and die in place of his sister. Maybe death would accept his soul and let his sister stay.

"Why...?" Rush sobbed into the grass. "Why...?"

"Reality can be such a harsh and cruel thing." The hedgehog sat up as Naga the Snake stepped out of the shadows. "But these are the facts that we must face. Those we love will eventually die and there is nothing we can do to save them."

"You...!" Rush growled angrily; Naga noticed the white aura. "You are the reason for all this!"

"I will admit that I was trying to agitate you." Naga nodded. "But I had no clue of your sister's condition. It is unfortunate."

"Shut up!" Rush screamed. "You don't give a damn about her! You don't know the pain she is suffering! I don't know how, but I know all this can be traced back to you!"

Consequently, I can't." Naga said smoothly. He cautiously moved closer to the hedgehog and kneeled down, resting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "I cannot tell you what it feels like to lose someone ou love because I've never really loved anyone. No even King, the man who raised me."

"I-it's..." Rush wept openly. "It's n-n-not fa-air. W-why he-e-er?"

"I have never been one to comfort those in need." Naga grinned, exposing his fangs and pointed teeth. "But what if I said I know of a way that can save your sister."

"I'd say you're lying." Rush glared, wiping away his tears.

"I am many things, but I am always a man of my word." Naga stated pointedly. "I have investigated a similar disease for months and have developed a way to counteract the sickness." Rush looked at him with hope. "But I am not simply going to hand over the cure to my archenemy. Quite the contrary, I want you to do something for me."

"How can I trust you?" Rush questioned.

"The real question is, Rush." Naga chuckled sadistically. "Can you afford not to trust me?"

* * *

**Tragedy strikes at the hearts of the bravest. Will Rush partner himself with Naga to save his sister? Will Alina suffer a most horrible death? And what is the true source of his unknown virus? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	11. Duel of Deals

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Ten: Duel of Deals

The scene returned to the inner sanctum of the Kokiri Forest, the former home of a long-extinct race and the battleground of Maido and Kisame's fight. A gentle breeze brushed against trees hanging overhead – loose foliage touched down to the dirt path between the trunks. All of a sudden, a tornado of evergreen leaves was thrown off their branches by a great force of wind generated from a passing red and blue blur. Rush the Hedgehog was dashing through the forest at top speed, not letting anything – plants, rocks, animals – get in his way. The twin-colored hedgehog was snapping his head left and right every few second, obviously looking for something important. Judging from the scowl present on his angered expression, he had yet to discover what he was looking for. So with hope of locating it easier from a higher vantage point, Rush charged up one of the taller trees in the forest and settled himself on the peak. The twin-colored hedgehog narrowed his eyes and curved around on the branch with his sights focused on a hopeful target.

"Damn it." Rush cursed silently. "How hard can it be to find a stupid lake in the middle of a forest? What does that filthy snake want with him anyway?"

Another thing that had drawn Rush's curiosity. He had managed to sneak away from his friends and family in order to sneak back into the Kokiri Forest. The question was why Naga had given him such an assignment.

* * *

_---Flashback---_

It had only been a few minutes when Rush left the South Kingdom after learning of his little sister, Alina the Hedgehog's, approaching death. This had not been unexpected as Rush and his family knew that Alina was far too sick to last for very long, but that didn't do anything to lessen the pain. In fact, the knowledge only made things much worse. At this point of his life, Rush was willing to do anything to save her, even partner himself with his archenemy, Naga the Snake.

"I have never been one to comfort those in need." Naga grinned, exposing his fangs and pointed teeth. "But what if I said I know of a way that can save your sister."

"I'd say you're lying." Rush glared, wiping away his tears.

"I am many things, but I am always a man of my word." Naga stated pointedly. "I have investigated a similar disease for months and have developed a way to counteract the sickness." Rush looked at him with hope. "But I am not simply going to hand over the cure to my archenemy. Quite the contrary, I want you to do something for me."

"How can I trust you?" Rush questioned.

"The real question is, Rush." Naga chuckled sadistically. "Can you afford not to trust me?"

The very thought of working with Naga, a sick and inhumane that lived to experiment on innocents, made Rush's skin crawl in revulsion. If this was a different situation, the twin-colored would not have hesitated to punch the punch the viper's fangs out and force him to eat them whole. But this was for Alina. Naga may have been an evil, sadistic, and malevolent serpent, but Rush learned from their previous encounter in Soleanna that he always kept his promises. And if there was the slightest chance that Alina could be cured....

"What do you want?" Rush questioned seriously

"Doesn't take much to convince you." Naga said wickedly, standing at full height. "Very well. Two days beforehand, your group was attacked and defeated by a Sword Lord by the name of Maido the Cerberus." The twin-colored hedgehog stared at him suspiciously. "Judging by your facial expression, you know by now that I was the one who summoned him."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Rush said sarcastically.

"I sent him to attack you as a test of your skills and you failed miserably." Naga hissed disappointingly as he turned his back. Rush closed his fist, but did not dare to attack the viper. "I had at least hoped to force you to reveal a small fraction of your unique power, but it appears that Maido's treatment wasn't intense enough."

"Unique....power?" Rush repeated, cocking his head in confusion.

"When my minions had captured you during our previous encounter, I ran a few tests." Naga explained to the confused hedgehog. "I began to research you after you astounding victory against Kai – there was no conceivable way you could have defeated someone as experienced as him. At first, everything seemed normal. But then...I inspected your power level."

"And...?" Rush said with peaked interest.

"It was beyond anything I would have expected." Naga said honestly. "You contain enough power to overpower your own father when he was in his prime."

The information came as both a shock and pleasure to Rush the Hedgehog. The twin-colored hedgehog was excited to know that his power clearly surpassed his father – THE legendary Sonic the Hedgehog, savior of the four galaxies. But if he had this power to begin with, why did he fail to defeat Maido the Cerberus in battle? Why was he so dependant on Kisame? Maybe his powers were still lying dormant just as his father's powers did until he reached a certain age. But even with the prospect of receiving immense power....the thought scared Rush.

"So what does any of this have to do with Alina?" Rush questioned, hoping to change the subject.

"Very blunt like your grandfather." Naga sneered at the thought. "If you remember correctly, Maido was slain by his superior and left to wither in the trees of the Kokiri Forest. All that I request is that you retrieve the body and bring it straight to me. Do so correctly and I will provide with the cure to healing your beloved sibling."

"And how do I know this cure is even real?"

"As I said before..." Naga hissed with a victorious smirk. "Can you afford not to trust me?"

_---End Flashback---_

* * *

And so Rush began his mission to retrieve Maido's corpse from the forest. Without Jewel or Mia to slow him down, the twin-colored hedgehog passed over the South Kingdom border and reentered the Kokiri Forest in only five hours – going at top speed, that is. Rush was bouncing between the trunks of the tree, never taking a moment to rest, and landed on a large rock close to the river. The twin-colored hedgehog cupper his hands into the surface of the water, splashing his face with its cool touch. Rush had not taken the liberty of memorizing where the lake was hidden in the forest. And coupled with the fact that Mia's plane was destroyed in battle, preventing him from gaining an aerial view, the chances of finding a two-day old corpse was as likely as Mia wearing a frilly dress. If only he could...

"Whatcha doing?"

Rush was startled by the sudden voice and unintentionally dived headfirst into the river. The twin-colored hedgehog only realized the situation had gotten himself – once again – in when he reached the bottom. Rush fruitlessly paddled, but he gained his father's inability to swim. It was good fortunate that a hand breached the surface and grappled the hedgehog by the scruff of his neck, sharply thrusting him towards the surface. With a quick splash and a small thud, Rush dropped on his back against the leafy grass, gasping desperately for air. As Rush slowed opened his eyes, his vision was blurred and all he could see was a great yellow blob. But as the seconds passed, that blob turned to perfect-golden hair with a white flower tucked away securely before the face came into clear view. Karma was blinking curiously, kneeling close to Rush and poking his forehead with a random stick.

"Stop that." Rush groaned as he sat up. "Why are you poking me in the first place?"

"Mr. Fishy thought you were dead." Karma commented nonchalantly.

"Stop – calling – me – that!" Kisame hissed from the right. "When will you get it through your thick skull that I am not a human-fish hybrid?! I just have a rare skin condition!"

"So rare that it doesn't even exist." Rush sniggered teasingly.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" Kisame questioned sternly. "I thought you would be back home with your little sister after that...unfortunate accident at your place."

"Believe me, it was no accident." Rush said heatedly; he stood up and brushed himself off. "I'm grateful to you for saving my life, but I'm on important business and don't have time to talk with you."

Karma cocked her head to the side, clearly confused as she usually was, but Kisame's expression was unreadable. Rush could feel the shark-man's eyes wander over his body, trying to read his body language, which would definitely give him away. In an effort to avoid explaining himself, Rush turned on his heels and prepared to break into a run. However, Kisame showed speed that truly proved his superiority as a ninja and appeared in the hedgehog's path. The twin-colored hedgehog was nervous – the Monster of the Mist had withdraw the Samehada.

"What are you doing out here that is so important." Kisame narrowed his eyes. "Why aren't you with your family during this critical time?"

"I just....needed to get away." Rush excused feebly.

"You're lying." Kisame stated instantly. "Someone that loves his sister as you do wouldn't leave without a proper reason. So, did ya find something that'll help or have you turned traitor to your kingdom?"

"Get out of my way, fish face." Rush growled darkly; he didn't have time to waste on them.

"Not until you tell us what you're up to." Kisame said sternly.

"Get out of my way!" Rush yelled forcefully.

"Tell me what you're doing!" Kisame demanded.

The twin-colored hedgehog was beside himself. How could someone be so infuriating? If Rush were to tell them about him striking a deal with Naga, they would definitely tell his father and then the entire SKA (South Kingdom Army), would be on his tail. And by that time, Alina would be dead and Naga's cure would be useless. Just the very thought forced Rush to take alternative action – he was going to do something stupid. Without warning, the twin-colored hedgehog jumped up to Kisame and swiped his heel across the face. Kisame's skin absorbed the impact of the blow and his murky eyes glowered at Rush as he landed back to the ground. That was pretty much useless.

"So that's the way you want to play, huh?" Kisame sighed deeply. "All right, we'll do it your way. Karma, help me pack up this adolescent rodent."

"Ok, Mr. Fishy." Karma smiled.

"How many times do I have to say it?!" Kisame screamed outrageously. "Stop calling me that stupid name!!"

The youngest Akatsuki only continued to smile. Using this opportunity to escape from Kisame's line of vision, Rush pressed his heels into the soil and dashed by the stupefied swordsman. Given his hereditary speed, he would be able to reach the other end of the lengthy forest before the two members of Akatsuki would realize he was gone. But if you've known Rush long enough, nothing ever comes this easy for him. By the time the twin-colored had distanced himself from them by half a mile, he foot was suddenly caught in an exposed root, tripping the young runner. Rush skidded across the grass on his stomach – a clot of dirt and grass brushed through his teeth. There was only one possible source for his bad luck.

"Karma." Rush muttered, spitting out two live worms.

"I know I keep saying this, but I can't help myself." The hedgehog snapped his attention upwards, where Karma and Kisame were sitting in the branches above him. "I love that special ability of yours, Karma."

"Thanks, sensei." Karma grinned pleasingly.

"I don't have any time to waste." Rush proclaimed, pushing to his knees. "Just stay out of my way."

"Not until you tell us the reason why you're here in the first place." Kisame said seriously.

The twin-colored hedgehog was defiant and curled himself into his ball form, spinning in one place for his family's signature technique. Rush Spin Dashed against the trunk of the tree, forcing the bark to snap in half and toppled over. While Kisame easily jumped to safety, Karma was blinking in a confused manner and crashed into the ground along with the mighty oak. The Monster of the Mist crouched low to the ground upon landing, only to flip backwards into the air as a red and blue sphere brushed at his feet. Rush uncurled himself and stood ready to fight as Kisame regained his composure with the Samehada held firm in his grip. That was the main point of his attacks. If Rush could separate the Samehada from its master, Kisame would be left at a sizable disadvantage. With that in mind, Rush jumped forward just enough to get his momentum going and glided across the wet grass on his heels. Kisame watched unimpressively as the twin-colored hedgehog edge close enough for a direct assault and curled himself at the swordsman's feet. Rush attempted another Spin Dash for Kisame's throat, but the Monster of the Mist easily deflect the strike with the blunt edge of his sword. But shockingly enough, Rush had predicted this outcome and uncurled himself the moment he made contact and grabbed the edge of the Samehada, curving his body around. The twin-colored hedgehog had thrown all his weight into his foot and nearly connected to Kisame's left eye. Nearly being the keyword. All of a sudden, navy-blue spike erupted from the folds of the Samehada, attempting to cage the hedgehog. Rush abandoned his attempts and pushed off the sword to jump away to safety.

"Oh, I remember now." Rush said consciously. "The Samehada is considered the most terrible of all the Seven Swordsmen's blades. It not only has the ability to absorb an opponent's energy, but it can move on its own to defend its wielder. That sword is a living weapon."

"Looks like you really are a fan." Kisame smirked deviously as the Samehada retracted its spikes. "You've learned a fair amount about my weapon and my public history. But just how much do you know about my other techniques."

Unbeknownst to the Monster of the Mist, Rush was a HUGE fan and studied everything about Kisame up to the point where he was defeated by the Fourth Raikage and his brother. He predicted exactly what was coming next. Judging by the signs Kisame formed, he was going to use his Water Dragon Jutsu as the liquid element was Rush's greatest weakness. The twin-colored hedgehog jumped backwards as the water from the river started to vibrate in hopes of making a break for it before the swordsman could attack. Karma had finally pulled herself from the great bramble of leaves from the fallen tree, pulling back one particularly bendable branch to escape. At the moment she let go, the branch snapped forward and slapped the twin-colored in the back to throw him forward. And unfortunately, Kisame had just finished his attack.

"**Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!!**" Kisame roared.

A serpentine dragon formed from pure water expelled its head from the surface – it glowing gold eyes narrowed menacingly at the flying hedgehog. Under Kisame's command, the water dragon lashed its head forward and snapped its teeth over the twin-colored warrior, drenching him within its depths. Karma yelped in fright and dived back into the fallen oak branches as the water dragon and its unwanted passenger hovered overhead. The water dragon headbutted against the thickest tree in the area and exploded upon initial contact, splattering everything within a twenty foot radius. Rush moaned painfully as he slumped against the roots of the trunk, which tilted from the attack, and started coughing violently. The twin-colored hedgehog tried to stand, but his legs were still shaky from the underwater experience. Kisame, shortly joined by his apprentice, stepped closer to the unfortunate child and replaced the Samehada on his back – the sword growled disappointingly.

"Oh, it's ok." Karma said soothingly to the sword, earning awkward stares. "Maybe you can cut someone's legs off tomorrow." Surprisingly enough, the Samehada growled happily. "Yes, we can have rice for dinner."

"_She is totally out of her mind._" Rush thought wildly.

"So..." Kisame interrupted. "Why did Naga tell you to come back here? You know it's obviously a trap."

"How'd you..." Rush gapped amazingly.

The Samehada could smell that filthy snake's stench all over you." Kisame explained seriously. "We had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him the year after Karma became my student. A chakra like his isn't something you can forget so easily – so cold and vile. The Samehada hasn't felt a chakra so dark since Sasuke Uchiha."

"He was so terrible." Karma said shakily. This was the first time Rush had ever seen the happy-go-lucky without her ever-present smile; Kisame patted her shoulder soothingly. "The way he looked at me with those evil eyes – I felt like I would never be happy again."

"Naga knows how to manipulate the mind to those who aren't experienced." Kisame stated firmly. "Karma is too simple and innocent to resist is cruel tactics." His eyes narrowed down on the hedgehog. "So what does he want from you."

"He wants me to bring back Maido's body." Rush said heavily; there was no point in lying now. "He promised that if I brought back Maido's body, he would give me the antidote to cure Alina's disease." Though he tried to remain strong, but tears were still present in his eyes. "You have to understand. I need to do this if I want to save her."

"Naga is cruel, vindictive, malevolent, sadistic, and twisted in every sense of the word." Kisame said heatedly. "But if there is one good quality in that filthy serpent, it's the fact that he always keeps his word."

"Not something you see in a stereotypical villain." Karma noted.

"What'd I say about watching television?!" Kisame snapped strictly. "That stuff rots your brain!"

"Sorry, sensei." Karma said apologetically.

"I don't think it even matters anymore." Rush said defeated, curling close to the ground. "Alina only has fifty-four hours left to live and by the time I find Maido's body, it'll already be too late. Maybe I should give up right now."

"Why don't we just have Samehada find him?" Karma suggested; Rush snapped his head in attention. "Yeah! Samehada has the power to track anyone's chakra, even if they're dead. I'll betcha if we follow the Samehada, it could lead us to Maido's body." She started petting the sword affectionately, which responded with a happy tone. "Yes, you're a good little sword. Yes, you are."

"_Again, she's nuts!_" Rush thought before becoming vocal. "Do you think it would work?"

""If Maido's body hasn't been consumed, his chakra should still exist." Kisame nodded, withdrawing his sword. "So, are we going to sit around all day and mope about this? Or are we going to hunt down a dog corpse?"

Rush felt a fresh wave of respect for Akatsuki.

* * *

The scene alternates to the most centered point of the Kokiri forest one hour later – Alina's time was now fifty-three hours. Rush was following Kisame and Karma diligently and without question mostly due to the fact that they were his only means of finding the corpse of the former Guardian of Hell. Every so often, the Samehada would curl in one direction and lead the trio down a path, only to have them walk back in the same direction they came from. Though Kisame assured him that the Samehada was fixated only on Maido's distinct chakra, Rush felt that maybe the living sword was losing its touch. Judging by the way the sword was tracking, you would think that Maido was alive. The hedgehog would soon learn to never doubt Samehada's instincts. With tempers slowly rising – Karma was the exception – it came as a relief when the spotted the vast lake with the molten remains of the X-Tornado resting on the shore. Just as relief began to set in, Rush dashed over to the spot where Maido's corpse should have rested, only to learn of its disappearance. The only remains of the death was the head Maido had lost during his resurrection – Kisame covered the children's eyes to avoid seeing the worms digging through its skull.

"I don't understand." Rush said hopelessly. "Did Naga already find the body before us?"

"No." Kisame shook. "The Samehada would have smelled that serpent's stench a mile away. As far as I can tell, Naga has never set foot in this forest."

"Then where is he, Mr. Fishy?" Karma asked curiously.

"I don't – what did I say about that name?!" Kisame shrieked.

Rush moved away from the master and apprentice before diving into a sense of self-pity. He had traveled all this way just to learn that his quest was destined to end in failure. How could he come back home and face his family when knowing that he was useless in protecting his little sister? Maybe he wasn't a hero after all. All of sudden, Rush was driven from his thoughts as Karma suddenly jumped and tackled the twin-colored hedgehog to the ground. Just in time too as a current of powerful flames soared in the position where Rush once stood. Rush and Karma quickly stood ready to fight while Kisame withdrew the Samehada. Questions of their new opponent and his purpose for attacking them began to fill their minds until their opposition stepped from under the shadows of the trees. Kisame and the Samehada growled simultaneously, Karma gasped in shock, and Rush was stunned beyond words. Maido the Cerberus – Flarus clenched tightly in his hand – grinned in satisfaction from both heads.

"You!" Rush exclaimed, finally reclaiming his voice. "But that isn't right! We saw Kisame kill you!"

"We were just as surprised as you are." Maido said collectively. "After we were slain, we were lost in the reality between life and death, waiting for our master to reclaim us once more. But he only took one. And that when I realized that I contained not one soul, but three separate beings inhabit this vessel."

"**Actually, that makes two.**" The right head said malevolently. "**And it's about time, too. That idiot was only holding us back.**"

"You think a second chance is going to make a difference." Kisame glared, shouldering his weapon. "Even if you have three lives, I am still more experienced and have a greater range of chakra to use. You wouldn't stand a chance alone."

"Alone, that is correct." Maido said victoriously.

Just the simple expression was enough to send the Monster of the Mist on high alert. Silence filled the forest as a gentle breeze brushed through the trees, spreading their leaves across the open field. Their attack was swift and silent. Karma had obviously sensed the attack as she dragged down the twin-colored hedgehog while Kisame sharply threw himself into the air. Four blades of solidified wind broke the branches at the same time a geyser of water rippled the surface of the lake. Both attack collided in the area where Kisame once stood as the one-armed swordsman dropped down to defend his comrades. The duo heads of Maido grinned in a dark and malevolently manner, turning their attention in opposite directions as their new accomplices made themselves present.

A dark figure swooped across the sky, casting a long shadow over the open area, and dropped swiftly at Maido's side. A shallow-black raven with beaming-red eyes stared between the group with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. He wore dark-grey boots with magnetic soles, white fingerless gloves, a necklace made entirely of unknown crystals, white bandages on his right forearm, and a tan leather belt used to holster his blades. The weapons in question were two short swords with steel made from an unknown silver substance and a white hand formed from a mineral the trio had never seen before. And when the raven turned his attention to Maido, he revealed a wall of stars tattooed on his back.

Rush and his friends jumped slightly as the water sloshed violent, which was created when the third member of Maido's party crawled out of the lake. He was a stout jade tortoise with a crimson-red shell carrying a spike on each individual scale. His shell contained a number of tattoos that mostly represent the tides and waves of the ocean. His clothing consisted only of the vibrant-blue pads on his forearms and ankles along with the black leather belt that carried his sword. The weapon in question was a short-broadsword made from blue steel with the edges resembling waves and a handle made of pure sapphire. The most unusual piece of the warrior was that fact that his left eye was sown shut, allowing his right eye to glare at the Monster of the Mist.

"Hello, Kisame." The tortoise said spitefully.

"Oh, that's not good." Kisame groaned inwardly. "I didn't know he joined the Seven Sword Lords."

"You know this guy, Kisame?" Rush asked.

"In a way." Kisame said hesitantly. "I kinda....destroyed his life."

* * *

**Dark reveals and forgotten history becomes exposed. What memories are shared by Kisame and this new warrior? Will Rush be able to defeat the time limit? Or will Maido's group be more than a match for the hedgehog? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	12. Regrets

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Eleven: Regrets

The scenery opens at a close proximity to the edge of the Kokiri Forest, southern region. The peaceful creatures that were going about their daily lives were thrown wayward and scattered across the trees by a speeding anomaly. And to those who would dare get close enough to inspect the intrusion, they would discover that the reason for the disturbance was created by two young heroines riding through the forest. Mia the Rabbit – Cherry clinging to her shoulder – was driving an off-road jeep recklessly through the bumpy forest, ignoring the erratic passenger in the back seat. Jewel, being ignorant to modern-day technology, had yet to understand the concept of a seatbelt and was tossed back and forth between the cushions.

"Watch – where – you're – going!" Jewel screamed; she finally landed upside-down in the passenger's seat. "Where'd did you the license to drive this thing?"

"I'm an eight year-old girl who flies a military-class fighter jet." Mia said, feeling proud at the accomplishment. "Where would you think I'd get a license? My dad made this as a secondary vehicle in any case that my plane would be....."

"Chao." Cherry chirped, pulling a tissue for his master.

"And how do you plan to find Rush with this piece of junk?" Jewel growled, forcing herself to sit properly.

"This is a fully automated tracking vehicle designed for search and rescue." Mia scowled. She reached over the dashboard of the jeep and retrieved a small tube with a single blue hair. "All I have to do is scan Rush's DNA through the sensory processor and triangulate his position from the traces of genetic information."

"In English." Jewel sneered.

"Big scanner finds Rush." Mia said slowly.

It took a while before the hardheaded echidna realized that she was being openly mocked and resisted the urge to throw the rabbit through the windshield. Mia was the only way of tracking down Rush. And once they found him, Jewel swore under her breath to beat the hedgehog senseless. While the short-tempered warrior contemplated on the number of ways she would kill Rush, Mia had placed the hedgehog hair into the scanner on the onboard computer. Much like the functions of the former X-Tornado, the computer showed a map on the windshield with a blinking dot.

"Subject: Rush the Hedgehog – detected." The computer announced. "Location: confirmed – 27 miles west from current position."

"You heard him!" Mia shouted victoriously, shifting to the next gear. "C'mon! We have a hedgehog to rescue!"

Jewel merely scoffed at the idea before being thrown backwards by the sudden shift in speeds and was now holding onto the trunk for dear life. The young heroines and the excitable Chao plowed through the trees and bushes, unaware that they were being closely followed. A lone character was hovering a mile over the canopy of the forest, unsupported by anything less than his own mind. His bulbous blue eyes followed their trail before vanishing into nonexistence with a sudden green flash of light.

* * *

Meanwhile, the scenery alternates to the open lakeside where Rush and his temporary teammates were faced against their newest opponents. Rush had both fists held out and his legs spread apart in a defensive position with Karma standing defenseless with her head cocked sideways in confusion. And though normal careful against newcomers, Kisame had lowered the Samehada and stared between the three Sword Lords. Maido's two heads smirked in simultaneous satisfaction with the raven standing on his right and the tortoise glaring to his left.

"Hello, Kisame." The tortoise said spitefully.

"Oh, that's not good." Kisame groaned inwardly. "I didn't know he joined the Seven Sword Lords."

"You know this guy, Kisame?" Rush asked.

"In a way." Kisame said hesitantly. "I kinda....destroyed his life."

"Oh no, you didn't destroy my life." The tortoise sneered malevolently. "You shattered my entire existence."

"Who is he, Kisame Sensei?" Karma asked cluelessly.

"I suppose introductions are in order, aren't they..._Kisame Sensei._" Maido said mockingly, waving his hand to the raven on his right side. "This is my dear comrade, Stratus the Raven."

"Hey, Leader-Sama and Konan-Sama talked about him before." Karma said excitedly; her partners stared. "Everyone calls him the Cosmic Knight because he's an alien swordsman from outer space."

"That's only partially true." Stratus said, surprisingly with a British accent. "I am part of a race of creatures called Voidarians – beings made from the gasses of imploded supernovas. I have traveled across the universe for more than two hundred years until I stumbled upon this quaint little planet...."

"**No one asked for your life story!**" The right head snapped impatiently; Stratus seemed nonchalant.

"So this guy has been around for two hundred years." Rush summarized with shifting to the tortoise. "So what's the story on that guy?"

"Why don't we leave that honor to you, Kisame?" Maido said; he was pleased to hear a low growl coming from the turtle.

"Kisame-Sensei?" Karma said meekly at her teacher's heated stare.

"His name is Torta the Turtle." Kisame explained monotonously. "He was once a simple farmer in Kirigakure. But just as he said, I ended up being the one to transform him from a humble worker into the monster he is today."

* * *

_---Flashback---_

Kirigakure, the Village hidden in the Mist, was properly named as such. It was a land covered in a thick layer of mist, shrouding the cylindrical buildings, clustered neighborhoods, and sweeping fields from any outsiders. In a pasture stretched close to the village boarder, field workers were going through their daily preparations in expectance for this year's harvest. And among them was Torta the Tortoise, who could not have looked more different than his present-day self. His skin was a lighter shade of green, his shell was a natural earthy-brown, and both of he vibrant-blue eyes were untouched. The happy-go-lucky tortoise was stabbing a hoe into the soil, applying room for new crops.

"Not a bad turnout, eh?" A fellow farmer called from five feet. "At this rate, we'll have enough to end the two month famine going through the village. Maybe the Mizukage will give us Medals of Honor."

"And that's exactly why you don't get a raise." Torta snorted. "You always have your head in the clouds."

And while the farmers complained over the matter, neither of them noticed four well-known characters were walking around the edge of the fields. Kisame Hoshigake stood proud and tall with the Samehada strapped to his back, wearing stone-grey vest with his headband unmarked on his forehead. His companions were Zabuza Momochi, Raiga Kurosuki, and the ever hopeful Suigetsu Hozuki. The youngest of the group was bouncing close to Zabuza, trying to capture his undivided attention.

Aw, come on, senpai!" Suigetsu whined, staring at the Decapitating Carving Knife. "Just let me try it out! I'll show you that I have what it takes to be in the Seven Mist Swordsmen."

"Forget it, runt." Zabuza said indifferent; Suigetsu fumed at the name. "Mangetsu wasn't allowed to wield the Samehada and I definitely won't let your grubby little hands get a hold off my weapon."

"Besides, the thing would crush ya into the dirt, shorty." Raiga openly mocked.

"I am not short!" Suigetsu said short-tempered. "And what about you? You're the shortest off all the Seven Swordsmen!"

"At least I'm not a midget." Raiga laughed.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Suigetsu reached into his pouch and tossed a kunai at Raiga's face, which he effortlessly avoided. But due to the dodge, the sharp weapon was sent flying straight towards the back of Torta's head. Once within a few inches from making contact, the working tortoise suddenly twisted his head around and captured the weapon with his teeth. Torta unconsciously increased the pressure in his jaw, shattering the metallic weapon with ease. The working tortoise acted as if nothing had happened and went back to his crops, unaware the gaze piecing his shell. Kisame had watched the entire outcome from a distance, but his comrades were too distracted by the fight between Raiga and Suigetsu to notice.

"You three go on ahead." Kisame said suddenly, tryin their attention. "I have something that needs my immediate attention."

"Don't stay gone for too long." Zabuza commanded as the others went ahead. "Yagura has a mission for us first thing in the morning and you know how he hates his highest guardians slacking off."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about me." Kisame said certainly.

Zabuza seemed suspicious at first, but quickly shrugged it off. Everyone learned not to question the strongest of the Seven Mist Swordsmen. The Monster of the Mist turned on his heels and trudged through the thick marsh until he reached the tortoise, who seemed thoroughly surprised. When Torta woke up that morning, he had expected to be supplying this week's crop, not be approached by the greatest ninja in Kirigakure. Out of respect, Torta dropped his tool and kneel at Kisame's feet.

"Ki-Kisame-Sama." Torta stuttered embarrassingly. "Such an honor to be in your presence."

"Get up – you're embarrassing yourself." Kisame groaned, watching the tortoise stand. "Anyway, I saw what just happened. You've got some real potential – Samehada can sense it."

"Me? Potential?" Torta repeated awestruck.

"I bet you would do real well in the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." Kisame proclaimed.

"That a great offer." Torta said respectfully. "But I don't really like fighting, so I'm gonna have to turn you down."

"It wasn't asking you." Kisame said forcefully, suddenly towering over the tortoise. "With great strength like yours, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist can move ahead with our plans much faster than expected. You will join us whether you like it or not."

"**But in the end, he still turned me down."** **Kisame narrated. "The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist had plans to overthrow the government, which eventually led to our ranking as missing-nin. I believed Torta's strength would give us the necessary power to defeat the Mizukage. But there were some...complications..."**

Torta the Tortoise was bowing respectfully on the hardwood floors, sending occasional glances to the village leader. Yagura was considerably young sandy-brown hair, a pair of unusual violet eyes, and a row of stitches reaching down from his left eye. The Mizukage's weapon rested behind him while the Seven Mist Swordsmen remained seated on the left wall, keeping a careful watch on the two. An argument occurred between the Mizukage and the worker tortoise, which poised Yagura to slam his staff to obtain complete silence.

"You should be ashamed." Yagura said lowly. "Coming into my palace and making false accusations against one of my greatest guardians."

"There are not false!" Torta yelled pleadingly. "Kisame Hoshigake came to my home and destroyed everything! I want his arrested for property damage and full compensation for everything he wrecked!!"

"My men have already investigated your household." Yagura said stoically. "And from what we can tell, the destruction of your home was due to an unfortunate mudslide for its location. We have already interrogated seventeen available witnesses and none of them saw Kisame anywhere in the vicinity. Kisame Hoshigaki is an honorable man with..."

"He's the one behind everything!" Torta screamed.

The tortoise had jumped to his feet, but the Seven Mist Swordsmen had already beaten him to the punch. Each member of the famous group had stepped in a complete circle around Torta with their swords held in close proximity to his neckline. Yagura stood from his place, placing his staff in its holster, and glared down at the defiant villagers.

"That will be enough." Yagura commanded. "Zabuza, please escort him off the grounds."

Being shoved ahead by the Swordsmen, Torta shot a backwards glare back to the once respectable Mizukage, suddenly catching the sight of Kisame's victorious grin.

"**It was two years following that night that the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist took an active role." Kisame continued. "By which time, I had already assimilated Torta's funds, family, and everyone he came to know as his friend. The last time I ever saw him was when Zabuza made a foolish attempt to assassinate the Mizukage."**

Kisame stood at the highest point of the hillside, watching the Mizukage's palace go up in flames as Zabuza and his band of mercenaries tried to escape from the Anbu. What a stupid decision to attempt the village leader without thinking things through – the Samehada curdled in agreement. The Monster of the Mist prepared to turn and make his way back home when he discovered his pathway blocked off by a familiar annoyance. The years of hardship had definitely been rough on Torta. His shell was losing its natural color, his skin was becoming gravely darker, and his eyes were filled with hatred. Hatred directed only to Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Kisame sniggered. "If it isn't the turtle who cried shark. How has life been treating you?"

"You know damn well how it been treating me!!" Torta snarled insanely. "You've ruined everything for me. I had a job, a family, and home until you took all of that away from me! I'm gonna make you pay for that, you son-of-a-bitch!!"

"Language, Torta." Kisame said mockingly. "We wouldn't wan t to get into anymore trouble."

"At this point, I don't really care!" Torta screamed.

Without even devising a strategy, Torta lashed his claws forward and made a jump for the Monster of the Mist. Being the advanced swordsmen that he was, it came as no surprise that Kisame obtained victory without much effort. The Mist Swordsmen withdrew the Samehada at lightning speed and a single spike ripped through the bandaged cover. The sudden strike threw the enraged tortoise to the ground with his claw held over his left eye – blood was slipping through his fingers. Kisame replaced his sword with a satisfied smirk, taking the opportunity to deliver a powerful kick to Torta's stomach while he was down.

"That's what happens when you refuse the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." Kisame chuckled.

_---End Flashback---_

* * *

"A few months after that, I joined Akatsuki." Kisame finished. "I never really found out what happened to him after that."

"Because of the embarrassment, I forced myself into exile." Torta growled menacingly. "I couldn't face the Hidden Mist Village after revealing that I was too weak to stop you. It was only on rare occasions that I dared to travel into the village. To those who saw me from a glance, I became a legend called the Ghost of the Mist."

"Ghost of the Mist?" Rush repeated confused.

"It's an old superstitious legend." Karma answer, surprisingly cheery despite the morbid conversation. "The story goes that an unfortunate soul still wanders the village after being killed during the time of the Bloody Mist. People always thought he was a vengeful spirit, but we never really thought it was anything worth mentioning."

"Fascinating..." Stratus murmured, jotting everything down on a pad of paper he recovered. "Creatures on this world hold natural affinity towards unusual anomalies dictated towards the supernatural."

"**Seriously, you're starting to annoy me.**" The right head growled.

"But how did you become one of the Seven Sword Lords?" Kisame questioned suspiciously. "You never showed any promise to wielding a sword in the past. And your personality contradicts everything you once stood for."

"I think that will be enough." Maido said impatiently, waving Flarus to silence his comrade. "The fact of the matter is that we have come to retrieve the hedgehog and that's what we intend to do. Not even you can stop three Sword Lords alone, Hoshigaki."

"Who said he was alone!" Rush shouted defiantly. "There's no way you are going to take me without a fight!"

"Have it your way." Maido smirked.

There wasn't much time left – it took close to an hour to finish introductions and to explain Kisame and Torta's story. This would mean that Alina only has fifty-two minutes before the disease would eat away at her heart. Rush needed to recover Maido's corpse by any means necessary. The twin-colored hedgehog suddenly dashed past his comrades, surprising them with his outburst, and jumped overhead with his foot thrown forward. The Guardian of Hell did nothing to stop Rush – he didn't even look at the hedgehog – and instead allowed his partner to worry about the pest. Stratus swiftly pocketed his notebook and withdrew the twin blades from their holsters and crossed them in midair. Rush's heel made contact with the steel of the intersecting swords, forcing him to back-flip onto the ground to recover. The twin-colored hedgehog snapped his head in attention, glaring at the raven with one sword resting close to his knee and the other hanging over his head.

"Tengon can feel your rage." Stratus commented, referring to his swords. "Is there something troubling you. Perhaps some mental or emotional weakness that has been affecting you."

"I don't need to explain anything to you!" Rush snapped.

"I was only trying to help." Stratus said disappointed.

"Keep in mind; he is still the enemy, Stratus." Maido stated confidently. "I know it's not our style, but the serpent and his Nobody follower still wants us to bring this vermin back alive."

"Wait a minute." Rush said shockingly. "Naga hired you to capture me?"

"**Why do you think he led you to us in the first place?**" The right head cackled wicked. "**I'll bet even Kisame saw that coming!**"

"I'm done talking." Torta growled, withdrawing the broadsword from his belt. "Let me and Baruzil take vengeance on this traitorous scum."

"You can't expect to defeat him alone." Maido said pleasingly, clutching Flarus in his hand. "Allow me to assist you."

"Just don't get in my way." Torta forewarned.

Sensing the impending danger, Kisame tossed the Samehada in the air momentarily and used his only working hand to grab his apprentice by the back of her collar. Karma was taken back by the sudden action before being thrown into the bushes and away from the danger. Kisame quickly snatched his blade out of the air and lowered it to block off both attacks from Flarus and Baruzil. The Monster of the Mist grunted forcefully – the impact had pushed him back an inch. Torta swiped his sword upwards, throwing Kisame off his balance, and allowed Maido the perfect opportunity to make a stab for the shark's heart. Fortunately enough, the Samahada sensed the danger and forced its body to twist in an impossible movement, barely managing to brush Flarus aside. After regaining his stance, the Monster of the Mist saw the perfect opportunity to counterattack when Maido was thrown to the side. However, he was forced to defend himself from the side when Torta attempted a swipe from the side.

"This is impossible." Kisame panted tiredly as he kicked Torta away. "I'm not as young as a used to be and have one arm really doesn't help things."

"Kisame-Sensei!" Karma called from the bushes. "Let me fight! I can help you!"

"This isn't a game anymore, karma!" Kisame called, locking blades with Maido. "These two are beyond your level! I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Too bad you never showed that type of compassion before!" Torta snarled, joining with Maido's efforts.

"I was a different person back then." Kisame grunted. "You have to believe me – I'm not like that anymore."

But the Ghost of the Mist didn't seem to be in any mood to talk and threw his shoulder into the Mist Swordsmen. Meanwhile, Rush lifted his right foot just as Stratus took a swipe with his left sword and forced his spine to bend backwards to avoid the second blade. The twin-colored hedgehog dropped backwards after successfully dodging and pressed his palm into the ground to and to the force of his kick. Unfortunately, Stratus had hundreds of years worth of experience on his side and he easily knocked away the blow by knock his sword hilt against the hedgehog's ankle. The effect of the clever threw the twin-colored hedgehog on his side. Rush turned to force himself into a sitting position, allowing Stratus the perfect opportunity to kick at his stomach. The twin-colored hedgehog skidded backwards across the grass and smacked his back into the trunk of the nearest tree, holding his wounded area.

"Oh, I think I ruptured my liver." Rush moaned.

"A liver, huh?" Stratus said interesting, retrieving his notepad. "That a vital organ that filters blood, correct?"

"How should I know?!" Rush exclaimed.

But while the Cosmic Knight continued taking notes, he nearly missed the fact that a wave of animals was running between the warriors, trying to escape and unknown predator. There attacker was identified by a loud revving sound following by a strong rattle emerging from between the trees. And before he knew it, Stratus was hit by the hood of a resilient jeep and thrown backwards into the lake. Barely believing his luck, Rush sighed in gratitude and waved to Mia, Cherry, and Jewel when jumping over the sides of the all-terrain vehicle.

"Man, I've never been so happy to see you guys before." Rush laughed before receiving a strong haymaker from Jewel. "OW!! What was that for?!"

"For running away, moron!" Jewel snapped. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?!"

"I didn't know you cared." Rush said egotistically.

It took all the effort from Mia and Cherry to stop the echidna warrior from thrashing Rush into the dirt. The twin-colored hedgehog was thankful that the attention was pulled away from him, but felt nauseous at the sight laid before them. Maido had managed to snap Kisame's right ankle with a kick while he was distracted by Torta. The Ghost of the Mist used that same chance to slice into Kisame's left arm, which was already useless. The Mist Swordsman barely had the strength left to kneel and was forced to lean against the Samehada.

"And so ends the great Monster of the Mist." Torta spat hatefully. "I always dreamed that I would be the one to kill you. I guess dreams do come true."

"Let's end this." Maido sniggered.

The Monster of the Mist weakly stared at the two Swords Lords at they took in equal breaths, releasing jets of fire and water from their respective forms. Karma was still trying to untangle herself from the bush and watch in horror as her teacher was devoured by the clashing powers. The mixture of fire and water formed a thick mist around Kisame's corpse – an ironic ending.

"Kisame-Sensei!" Karma wept openly.

"I can't believe it." Mia murmured meekly; Cherry chirped on her shoulder. "They managed to defeat – what's that sound?"

"What sound?" Jewel asked curiously.

"Listen." Mia said softly. "It sounds like...crackling."

Both pre-teens glanced at each other momentarily, but decided to listen anyway. Mia had greater hearing than any of them. Even with Karma's tearful cries, the trio was able to listen in and, sure enough, caught a slight tone that could be compared to the chirping of a thousand birds. It wasn't long before everyone could hear it. Maido narrowed his eyes and focused on the cloud of mist that had formed before being sent on high alert. Six bolts of electrical energy exploded from the mist and Maido was forced to jump to the trees while Torta used his shell as a perfect defense. Both heads that formed the Guardian of Hell sniffed into the air to try and catch the scent of their attacker.

"**Who the hell in their right mind would attack us?**" The right head snarled. "**Who does he think he is?**"

"I have a vague idea." Maido stated.

Soon enough, the mist cleared away with Kisame panted heavily against his swords. Karma, having ripped her cloak to break free from the bush, dashed into Kisame's arms and wept joyously into his shoulder. While the Monster of the Mist tried to comfort his protégé, he took this chance to gaze at his savior. A tall and toned robot comparable to Metal Sonic with fiery-orange armor with four curved, black spikes connected to each arm. He has a blue three-pronged crest on his forehead, a flowing navy-blue cape strapped around his waist, and bulbous light-blue eyes. The mechanical marvel nodded to Kisame and stared at Rush group for a short moment, waving in a nonchalant fashion.

"So, did I miss anything?" The robot said humorously.

"**Who is that?**" The right head questioned.

"My, my, this is turning out to be an interesting day." Maido sniggered. "Now I get the chance to test my skills against the famous Mirror Mecha – Emerl the Gizoid."

* * *

**A multitude of conflicts expand! Will Emerl's arrival be just what they need to turn this fight around? Will Rush's mission turn out to be a successful venture? And what will Kisame do to fix his mistakes? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	13. Mirrored

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Twelve: Mirrored

The scenery returns to the western clearing within the lengthy Kokiri Forest at the moment a heavy mist fogged the area. At a closer view of the area, scattered characters could be faintly traced when the mist slowly began to die down – one of them held a temporary glow. The mist was blown in one sweep to show Rush, Jewel, Mia, and Cherry standing defensively with their backs to the off-road jeep. Karma was standing protectively near her master and Stratus pulled himself to the shore, pulling a flailing guppy from his ear. Maido and Torta growled in simultaneous dislike to Kisame, who was using the Samehada as a crutch, and the infernal machine defending him. The tall robot dwindled the lightning surrounding his right hands, waving to the heroes in a nonchalant fashion.

"So, did I miss anything?" The robot said humorously.

"Who is that?" The right head questioned.

"My, my, this is turning out to be an interesting day." Maido sniggered. "Now I get the chance to test my skills against the famous Mirror Mecha – Emerl the Gizoid."

"Emerl the Gizoid?" Rush repeated, cocking his head in confusion.

"You're kidding right?" Mia questioned strangely.

"Even I know who he is." Jewel rolled her eyes.

"Chao, chao." Cherry nodded.

"So, who is he?" Rush asked irritably.

"Emerl the Gizoid is the son of Metal Sonic." Mia explained; Rush instantly registered that name. It was hard to forget Sonic's arch-rival turned friend. "Well, he's not technically his son, but Metal Sonic did add some techno-organic materials to his cerebral base, making him somewhat of the same variation as..."

"Emerl was created by the Nocturnus Tribe." Jewel continued over the rabbit's girl's techno babble. "He was the first created to be used against my ancestors, the Knuckles Tribe. But when Chaos and Argus punished both civilizations, Emerl was the only one that had escaped, but he lost all of his memories. The he was discovered by Dr. Gerald and kept in storage until Dr. Eggman rediscovered him. And that how Metal first learned to use him."

"Wow, he sound's cool!" Rush exclaimed excitedly. "I wonder if I can get his autograph!"

"You always say you're going to be a hero." Mia giggled, shaking her head lightly. "But when it comes down to it, you're just an overexcited fanboy."

That was a critical blow to the hedgehog's ego, which Jewel openly laughed over. The only thing that made it worse was the fact that Stratus was hanging over their shoulders, taking notes on the subject of fan obsession. This was not Rush's day. Meanwhile, Kisame was forced to his feet using Karma and the Samehada to keep himself balanced, slowly drawing energy from his sword. The energy that the Samehada was pouring out came from the earlier scuffle with Rush – Kisame was amazed at how much strength it had collected. It only took a mere two seconds before the Monster of the Mist was fully healed and standing at Emerl's side again with Karma on the other.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Kisame said calmly. "Last I heard, you were assigned to a mission in Calcutta."

"Sonic and Amy were getting worried when Rush never returned home." Emerl informed, stretching his hand. "And the situation was only made worse when Jewel and Mia..." Cherry started chirping irritably. "And Cherry went to find him. Lucky enough, I was already head back after finishing my mission early."

"These guys aren't to be taken lightly." Kisame forewarned. "One-on-one, we could take them without much effort. But when they're working together, you need to be on your toes."

"Don't worry about me." Emerl said confidently, moving into attack position. "They don't call me the Mirror Mecha for nothing."

Maido took a few steps backwards, placing himself evenly beside Torta. The Guardian of Hell had not expected Metal Sonic's revered son to get in their way – this was only going to make things more difficult. And just before Maido could contemplate a productive plan to follow, Torta jumped to his left and took shelter within the depths of the lake. Kisame and Emerl shot a brief glance to one another and the Monster of the Mist jumped headfirst into the water after the tortoise. This was between them. With two less warriors to contend with, Maido brought up Flarus in a position to attack while Emerl slowly raised his fist cautiously.

"I have been meeting all kinds of celebrities these days." Maido said deviously. "First I meet the fabled Monster of the Mist and now I have the pleasure of destroying the Mirror Mecha."

"A bit overconfident, aren't we?" Emerl said teasingly. "You couldn't even beat Kisame without your friend in the shell."

"That's because Kisame-Sensei is the best!" Karma cheered happily. "Some ugly doggy could never beat Kisame-Sensei!"

"**Ugly doggy?!**" The right head snarl; Maido rolled his eyes. "**Oh, you are so dead now!**"

It seemed like the right head of the flaming Cerberus took control of their united form, judging by Maido's unwilling expression. The Guardian of Heel dashed forward with Flarus tapping at his right shoulder, swinging horizontally across the air when he could reach. Thankfully due to his inherited speed and reflex, Emerl grabbed Karma by the scruff of her neck and tossed her to the air, barely giving himself enough time to duck. The Flarus barely missed Emerl's crest and Karma's heels, but the Guardian of Hell exchanged hands and swiped around for a second blow. This time, Emerl was unable to dodge and forced to shield himself with his forearm. By sheer luck alone, the Flarus was interlinked with the curved spikes on the Gizoid's, locking the two warriors in place. Maido and Emerl struggled to regain the upper hand, not noticing Karma as she dropped back into the fallen tree once again.

"You are a persistent one, I'll give you that." Emerl grunted, digging his feet into the ground. "But you're going to have little faster than that if you wanna have a shot of beating me."

"I can tell that you are trying to irritate me." Maido said collectively. "And once I loose focus, but movements will be hindered dangerously and I'll be left open for you to counterattack. But I hate to tell you this..." He grabs Flarus by the base, forcing the sword and Gizoid's arm to the ground. "This abomination on my shoulder holds my anger."

"**That's ri – hey!!**" The right head exclaimed.

"_Well, that pretty much kills plan A through XSY._" Emerl thought, struggling to free himself. "_Looks like I'm going to have to do this the old fashion way._"

Maido the Cerberus pressed his beloved sword against the ground and used his foot to keep it in place, preventing Emerl from retrieving his limb. The Guardian of Hell drew wicked grins on both faces as he began to draw power from the Flarus, drawing its physical essence in the back of his throat. The flames began to lick against his maw when a sudden change in Emerl's bulbous eyes became noticeable – they were emerald-green. Maido and his second persona didn't think much of this and threw their heads forward and expelled the blaze from their mouths. All of a sudden, the plating where Emerl's mouth would be moved aside and bellowing a thick stream of flames similar to Maido's own. And while the right head of the Cerberus seemed genuinely shocked, Maido continued to pour on the flames, not willing to back down. But Emerl's own power added to his copied ability overpowered the Guardian of Hell and the fires burned against Maido's chest. While the dual-headed Cerberus was thrown backwards across the grass, the Mirror Mecha managed to pry the sword out of his arm – it didn't burn him.

"Surprised, are ya?" Emerl taunted, stabbing Flarus into the ground. "There's a reason I'm considered the greatest Gizoid."

"I thought you were the only Gizoid." Karma commented.

"That's beside the point." Emerl sighed. He moved to a defensive tactics as Maido stood and retrieved Flarus. "But I am just going to give you this one warning. Surrender this fight immediately and I promise you that we can avoid anything we might regret."

"Oh, I have no problems with that." Maido sniggered malevolently. "I don't have a single regret."

* * *

Meanwhile, another battle resumed beneath the depths of the forest lake. Despite it appearance from the surface, the waters were over a hundred feet deep and underwater tunnels linked with other bodies of water in the forest. Different forms of algae and variations of fish were littered throughout the aquatic field – Kisame swore he saw a fish man. Speaking of whom, the Mist Swordsman was speeding through the water like it was glass with the Samehada safely strapped to his back. The sword was pretty much useless under the water due to his slower reflexes...unless he – Kisame shook his head of the thought. If it came down to it, he would use that technique as a last resort. The Monster of the Mist waded over a field of seaweed, passing over the large boulders scattered across the sea of green. After an unsuccessful search, Kisame stopped and touched down on one of the larger rocks in the seaweed field.

"_He just vanished._" Kisame thought strangely. "_But then again, he has the advantage in the environment. He could be anywhere._" All of a sudden, the Samehada began reacting. "_What? He's close?_"

"Filthy leech."

"What?" Kisame gurgled surprisingly.

Unbeknownst the Mist Swordsman, the dirt and algae that covered the bolder was brushed aside, revealing a crimson-red shell beneath. Kisame had unknowingly stepped on top of the withdrawn Torta and the enraged tortoise began spinning rapidly in place, throwing him off. The Monster of the Mist flipped slowly and caught himself four feet above the turning shell – this was not a disadvantage. In fact, Torta continued twirling within his protective shell and steered himself across the field of seaweed and collided with one of the boulder. The Ghost of the Mist used the surface to rebound and throw himself in Kisame's direction, who swiftly reached over his shoulder to retrieve his sword. However, being underwater slowed his movements and the Mist Swordsmen could only touch the handle before being pounded in the gut. Torta drove his gilled enemy across the wall and crushed him into a high wall, still crushing his shell against the swordsman's abdomen. Kisame cried out inaudibly – small bubbles were released instead of sound. The sound of the Kisame's ribs cracking brought a smile to Torta's face as he slowly emerged, using his shell to keep the swordsman in place.

"Not so fun to be the little man, is it?" Tora said maliciously. "Now you can understand a small percentage of what I had to suffer through. The kind of pain you caused me!"

"_Things are different._" Kisame gurgled hopelessly. "_I'm not the same Monster of the Mist I was before. I can help you._"

"You're twenty years too late!" Torta snapped. "Nothing you can do now will get back my life!" He reached his hand over, increasing his grip around his throat. "But don't worry; I'm not going to kill you. Instead, I am going to repay you for all my suffering. First I'm going to rip out your eye like you did mine and then I'm going take away everything you cared about."

"_Stay away from Karma._" Kisame growled; more bubbled issued.

"A monster doesn't have friends." Torta proclaimed. "And soon, you won't."

Anger surged through Kisame's veins; his muscles contracted from pure anger. But the Ghost of the Mist failed to notice this as he stretched his draws as far as they could go, positioning his fangs around his left eye. Samehada began twitching erratically as Torta began applying pressure around the socket, relishing the long moments to watch him suffer. Torta chocked. He found himself unable to breathe properly and was pulled away by his throat by Kisame's left hand, which was supposed to be permanently limp. How was it possible that he could use it again? The answer was suddenly made clear when the tortoise's single eye looked down and noticed that Kisame's arm was different from the rest. The Samehada had partially fused with him.

"_Stay – away – from Karma!_" Kisame hissed with emphasis.

With power unlike anything he could have done before, Kisame threw Torta in the direction of the lake bottom, kicking up a puff of sand. It was only good fortune to Torta that he was able to retreat to his shell in time before colliding to the bottom. The Ghost of the Mist exposed himself from his protective shell at the same moment Kisame had finished the fusion with the Samehada. He looked more of a shark than he had before. His Akatsuki cloak had been discarded to make room for his newly developed fins, webbed hands, serrated scales, and lengthy tail. Torta had barely got to his feet before the Monster of the Mist suddenly appeared directly in front – his speed was truly superior.

"What are you?" Torta gapped fearfully.

"It's just as you said." Kisame mutter perfectly under the water. "A real monster."

Torta swiftly reached back and stabbed Baruzil for Kisame's neckline. But within the blink of an eye, the transformed swordsman used one hand to grab the razor edge of the broadsword with no damage to show for it. Torta gapped and tugged to pull back his weapon, but Kisame refused to relinquish his hold. With this disadvantage present, the Monster of the Mist closed his left fist and nailed Torta's underbelly. Now under normal conditions, his protective shell would have prevented any external damage. But being fused with the Samehada allowed him to drain energy from a single touch, making the shark's attack's five times more effective. Torta was thrown completely off his feet and shot upwards by close to fifty feet, unwillingly relinquishing the Baruzil. Kisame, completely ignoring the defiant sword trying to slash at his hand, threw Baruzil in the sand and kicked off the ground with such force. The transformed swordsman headbutted the tortoise with extreme aggression and carried him all the way until they breached the surface.

* * *

The scene switches back to the surface battle between Maido the Cerberus and Emerl the Gizoid, who was mimicking the Guardian's moves perfectly. And while this was going on, Rush, Jewel, Mia, Cherry, Karma and Stratus was lock in a battle...of wits. As hard as it was to believe, Karma invited Stratus to play a game, which the atmospheric raven had wholeheartedly agreed, eager to learn more about this world. Jewel was thoroughly against the idea, but Rush, Mia, and Cherry figured there was no harm in interacting with the unknowing villain. At the moment, Mai and Stratus were in the middle of a game of chess with Mia taking the lead and Stratus making notes of the game on his notepad. Rush quickly got bored of the game and fell asleep in the back of the jeep, Jewel was leaning against a tree cautiously, and Karma was humming to a tune in her head.

"And this is what's called a checkmate." Mia explained, moving her piece around the king. "It's what happens when the king has nowhere left to avoid the other player's moves and the game is over."

"Fascinating..." Stratus grinned excitedly, making more notes. "And tell me again, the horse shaped one is called the knight, correct."

"You know, you don't really seem like a bad guy." Karma noted innocently. "You're just a big softy."

"I'm actually researching on the difference between heroes and villains." Stratus explained proudly. "From what I can gather, villains are labeled as such by other people because of nefarious deeds they perform. And a hero is given his title by performing selfless and righteous deeds to help others."

"Guess we can count Rush out." Jewel taunted; the hedgehog's ears twitched.

"I have also made other notes center around anti-heroes and anti-villains." Stratus commented, flipping through his notes. "According to my research..."

"Boring!" Rush yelled; everyone jumped at the sudden outburst. "I was hoping for at least a few more bad guys to show up and make this more interesting. But those two..." He pointed to Emerl and Maido. "Just keep doing the same thing over and over, and Kisame's nowhere to be seen."

"Instead of whining, maybe you could actually do something useful." Jewel scoffed. "Then again, what's so useful about a lazy rat who doesn't listen to reason?"

"Love you, too." Rush retorted sarcastically; Jewel glared heatedly. "I just thought big bad guy fights would be cool like the ones dad used to tell me about. Just once, I'd like something cool to happen."

Maido slashed the Flarus in a downwards motion, once again clashing with the curved spikes on Emerl's arms. The fight had been going on for ten minutes straight with the Mirror Mecha at a complete advantage over his opponent. While Maido was slowly wearing himself to exhaustion, Emerl was free from any similar weaknesses. The battle was only ended, much to Maido's relief, when Kisame exploded from the lake surface, carrying Torta on his shoulder. The transformed swordsman drifted momentarily in midair while clinging to the spikes on his opponents shell, forcefully launching him to the ground between the other fighters. Emerl and Maido jumped back as the Ghost of the Mist formed a five foot crater into the grass – water began leaking from the lake. It was quite clear that Rush wasn't bored anymore when the transformed swordsman landed on the grass besides the underage heroes.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!!" Rush screamed excitedly.

"Yay! Now you look more like Mr. Fishy!" Karma laughed.

"I told you to stop calling me that!!" Kisame roared intensely; Karma only giggled.

"This isn't going as we had originally planned." Maido murmured, kneeling to his comrade.

"What was your first clue?" Torta said sarcastically after forcing himself to stand. "Was it the bug-eyed robot or the shark-sword combo?"

"I am normally not one to surrender." Maido said cautiously. "But we need to regroup and think of a new plan."

"**What?!**" The right head screamed. "**We're running away?!**"

"Wrong." Emerl said threateningly. "You're not going anywhere."

In the short period that the two Sword Lords had conversed, Emerl was clutching his right hand and redirecting most of his energy into his palm. By mixing Chaos Energy with his own systems, the Mirror Mecha formed an electric current around his hand in preparation for his family's signature attack. Still holding his right arm, Emerl pressed his heels into the dirt and kicked off with speed that only Rush was capable of mimicking. The dual-headed Cerberus barely caught sight of the attack and raised Flarus to defend himself, but the effort had proven to be in vain. The electrical palm made contact with the flame-based weapon and scratched across the surface, but had been redirected for the right head's neck line. Maido tried to prevent himself from crying out in agony as Emerl slid past him – the Cerberus head splashed in the lake.

"Two down, one to go." Kisame commented.

"Looks like you're out of options, demon." Jewel glared.

"Chao, chao!" Cherry shouted.

Clutching the open wound on his shoulder, Maido staggered backwards and turned his head to the rest of his surroundings. All seven heroes, including Cherry and the transformed Kisame, formed a circle around the two weakened Sword Lords while Stratus hovered in midair. Things did not look fairly well for the villains. Maido was critically injured with two of his lives missing, Torta was drained of his strength and lost Baruzil, and Stratus was too preoccupied studying the conflict. There was only one option remaining. Stratus and Torta were summoned to their leader's side by a swift nod, facing outwards to the heroes.

"This isn't over." Maido forewarned.

"Don't let him get away!" Mia shouted.

All seven heroes jumped at the moment, but were unsuccessful at reaching the trio before Maido issued a torrent of flames from his throat. The wall of fire formed a dome around the three Sword Lords, causing the heroes to cringe and step back involuntarily. And by the time the flames died down, Maido and his followers disappeared into the forest without a trace.

* * *

Later that night, despite Rush's urgency, Emerl had commanded the heroes to set up camp for the night. The twin-colored hedgehog was agitated that he was prevented from searching for Maido. The Guardian of Hell was down to his last life and he was clearly weakened from the earlier fight – he wasn't going to get another chance like this. Mia had dragged out supplies that she carried from her jeep to use for the campsite; leaving Jewel to make sure that Rush didn't run off. Personally, she wanted a reason to pound the arrogant rodent into the dirt. Kisame had separated from the Samehada, which was left uncovered against a tree, and was sitting patiently on the ground while his protégé treated his arm. Because the Mist Swordsman had discarded his cloak under the lake, Karma was forced to use the bandage that was supposed to cover Samehada to elevate his limp arm. Samehada twitched in irritation.

"What do you mean you're cold?" Kisame said oddly. "You're a sword. You can't feel anything."

"Aw, be nice to Samehada, Mr. Fishy." Karma said sweetly. Kisame groaned at the name as the benevolent teenager petted the shark-skinned sword gently; Samehada did not refuse. "See, he just wants a little attention."

"I seriously think that girl has brain damage." Jewel whispered to Rush.

"Something you can relate to." Rush sniggered. He was nearly brought to tears when Jewel bashed him over the head. "Ow!! Why do you have to hit so hard?!"

"I searched the perimeter for over a hundred yards." The group snapped their heads as Emerl stepped out from behind the trees. "I can't find Maido or any of the Sword Lords. My guess is that they are long gone by now."

"Then we should go look for them!" Rush exclaimed urgently. "We can't stop until we found Maido!"

"Rush, you are in way over your head." Emerl said seriously. "I know you want to be a hero like your father, but these three are experienced fighters way beyond your skill level. In any case, you should be back home with your sister."

"That's exactly why I'm here!" Rush shouted angrily, barely realizing what he had said. "If I can capture Maido..."

The twin-colored hedgehog stopped himself immediately. Jewel, Cherry, Mia, and Emerl were staring at him expectantly, but Karma and Kisame were shaking their heads for him to stop. Rush knew that if he explained the reason why he needed to capture the Guardian of Hell, the others wouldn't be as understanding. So instead, the twin-colored hedgehog stood up and brushed the question aside, jumping in the back of the jeep to make himself comfortable.

"Never mind." Rush mumbled in a defeated tone. "I'm going to sleep."

None of the younger generation questioned his reasoning, but Emerl was suspicious. The Mirror Mecha waited until the girls were asleep to interrogate Kisame, but the Monster of the Mist had avoided talking for the rest of the night. And when Emerl refused to back down, the Samehada acted of its own accord and wrapped its handle around the machine's arm, threatening to break it off. The Mirror Mecha was left with no other option and switched himself to sleep mode until the final embers of the campfire died into the night. The crescent moon shined down over the unusual band of warriors, who had fallen into blissful slumber as an orchestra of crickets played through the gently trees. Everyone...except for Rush. Never before had the twin-colored hedgehog felt like such a failure. He had worked all his life to protect his little sister, only to watch her die right before her eyes.

"_Why did it have to end like this?_" Rush thought mournfully. "_What did she do to deserve this?_"

The twin-colored hedgehog tried to search for once tiny fragment of hope in these events. Any at all. So imagine his surprise and suspicion when a small leaflet was thrown through the air and stopped suddenly at his hands the moment the wind died down. This was too much a coincidence to be done by accident. Making absolutely sure that none of the others were awake, Rush ruffled the letter and hastily read its contents.

_**It's time you proved yourself as a man.  
Meet me under the shadow of the Great Deku Tree  
You shall find your way to the heart of forest and face me alone  
Leave your friends behind. It's time we settled this**_

_**Maido the Cerberus**_

"One-on-one, huh?" Rush whispered, crumpling the paper. "All right, we'll do it your way."

* * *

**Tension runs high with unclear choices given. Will Rush be foolish enough to face Maido alone? Will Jewel and the others stop him from making a grievous mistake? Will Alina live or die in the end? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	14. Shooting Star, Part 1

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Thirteen: Shooting Star, Part 1

The scenery open to the heart of the Kokiri Forest the following morning as the dawn slowly approached over the horizon. The first light of day began to creep through the leafy towers of the forest, which only further irritated the drowsy hero. Rush had silently left his team immediately after receiving the letter, sticking around long enough to collect a few provisions, which he placed in a backpack that was conveniently set in the jeep. Because of his rash actions, the cobalt hedgehog didn't sleep throughout the night – he was dead on his feet. But Rush shook his head to ward off the weakness and dashed up the truck of the nearest tree, landing precariously on the highest branch. Covering his eyes to block out the morning light, the unusually serious hedgehog spotted a single tree that was ten times larger than normal and overshadowed the rest of the forest. How could he have missed that?

"That must be the Great Deku Tree in the note." Rush said tiredly, rubbing his eyes harshly. He reached over his left shoulder and searched through his pack, retrieving a small clock he took from Mia. "Damn, only ten hours left. I wasted too much time hanging with Kisame and the others." He replaced the clock in his pack. "I better hurry before..."

It was very unfortunate that Rush unintentional shifted his weight in front, causing the branch beneath his feet to snap. The cobalt hedgehog was too distracted to react on time and barely recognized what had occurred until colliding with the lower branches. He was sore when the wooden limbs made contact with his arms and chest, but he was able to ignore the pain almost instantly when smacking his forehead on the last one. Rush flopped deftly on the ground as the last of his consciousness began to fade – thoughts of his ill sister plagued his mind.

* * *

Several miles south of the sleeping hedgehog, the remaining factor of his temporary team was driving through the depths of the forest, swerving between the trunks. Mia, with Cherry on her shoulder, had at desperate look in her eyes, but still showed amazing steering behind the wheel of the jeep. Emerl was sitting in the passenger's seat and Kisame was sitting cross-legged with the Samehada in the back of the all-terrain vehicle; both were unconcerned by the young hare's insane driving technique. On the other hand, Karma and Jewel the Echidna had failed to heed the advice of their elders to wear seatbelts and the bouncing against the doors and each other at each bump of the road. The hotheaded echidna had a funny suspicion that Mia was doing this on purpose.

"Where the hell did you get your license?" Jewel growled; she was facedown into his seat cushions.

"Do you ever pay attention?" Mia sighed exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "I'm an eight year-old girl that flies a military class fighter jet." She glares over her shoulder to the back of Kisame's head. "Or at least I used to!"

"Did you already ask that question two chapters ago?" Karma asked Jewel.

"Two chapter?" Jewel repeated strangely.

"Karma, what did I say about breaking the fourth wall?" Kisame scolded strictly.

"Sorry, Kisame-Sensei." Karma moaned, bowing her head in shame.

These two were stranger than before. Emerl the Gizoid was apart from the world, fully immersed in the small crumpled paper in his metallic claws. It was only an hour ago that the Mirror Mech was roughly shaken awake by Cherry when his master discover that Rush was missing from the jeep. It was Kisame who found the letter sent by Maido the Cerberus crumpled into a tiny wad next the all-terrain vehicle's tire, learning of the deal that had been made. Emerl felt the pain of failure. His father had sent him to bring back Rush in one piece, but the arrogant rat was just as boneheaded as his own father. He couldn't resist the urge to prove himself. The Mirror Mech unconsciously crushed the letter in his hand and burned it away with a small trace of electrical energy.

"This – is – stupid!" Jewel cried; she had been tossed in back with Kisame. "I feel like we've been driving around in circles! Can't you just use that tracking thingamajig like you did last time?"

"Unfortunately, that's not an option." Mia said seriously. To better catch the echidna's attention, she pointed to the DNA tracker that was set on the dashboard. But instead of compact computer, a small hole with exposed wires remained in its place. "Rush knew we were tracking him and ripped out the sensory array. He wanted to make sure no one followed him."

"But why would he do that?" Emerl questioned thoughtfully. "As a matter of fact, why would he be hunting down one of the Seven Sword Lords in the first place? I understand that he wants to be a great hero like his father, but I can't sense the logic in choosing a rogue swordsman."

"Maybe it has nothing to do with fame." Kisame said monotonously. "Maybe he has some other intention."

"You seem confident in your theory." Emerl said suspiciously; Kisame remained silent. "Last night, I had the funny feeling that you were hiding something from me, but this confirms it." Again, the Monster of the Mist refused to answer. "You know why Rush is chasing after Maido. Tell us what he is up to."

"Rush..." Kisame said with a heavy sigh. "Has confined with us with his problems and we took an oath not to tell anyone." His eyes wandered over the mech and animals for a short period. "If he hasn't told you, don't expect me to answer."

"Listen here, fish stick!" Jewel shouted sternly as she grabbed the Mist Swordsman by his collar. Despite the seriousness of the event, Karma could resist giggling at the nickname; Kisame groaned. "If anything happens to that idiot, it's going to be your fault and I'll pound you all the way to Siberia!"

"Wow, you really care about him." Karma commented casually. "Are you his girlfriend?"

"HELL NO!" Jewel shrieked fiercely; Karma was thrown of her seat. "There is no way in the eight levels of Hell I would hook up with that stuck-up, arrogant little brat!"

"So you do like him." Karma smiled serenely.

"The fact of the matter is..." Mia interrupted, bringing the jeep to a screeching halt. "Rush is in big trouble. Even he is smart enough to know that he is walking into a trap. There's no way someone like Maido would play fair." She turned in her seat to face the Akatsuki members with a pleading look in her eyes. "Please...Rush is my best friend. We need to help him."

"Chao chao." Cherry nodded.

"Kisame-Sensei..." Karma murmured uncertainly.

The Mist Swords was indifferent to Mia and Jewel requests as he slowly pried the echidna's hands from his cloak. He could easily stave off the emotional pleas of the girls, but his protégée was naïve and extremely gullible – she would crack instantly. Kisame was saved from an explanation, fortunately, by a sudden gust of wind that brushed through the limbs of the trees, sending a shower of leaves over their heads. The girls were obviously clueless and were blinded by the leafy tornado, but Kisame and Emerl narrowed their eyes with focused concentration. Without warning, the Mist Swordsman unlatched the Samehada and the Mirror threw out his claw – both made contact with an unknown force. The scattered leaves instantly died down during the connection, revealing Stratus the Raven wielding the twin blades, Tengon, against the elder warriors on the hood of the jeep. Kisame and Emerl pushed against their respective weapons and threw the extraterrestrial raven back on his feet by two yards.

"Swift reflexes, high endurance." Stratus analyzed interestingly. "All the same proceedings as last time."

"Where's Rush?" Mia questioned instantly

"Chao chao chao!" Cherry shouted insistently.

"I'm not really sure myself." Stratus said honestly, scratching his beak. "Maido just told me to wait here and make sure no one but the hedgehog gets by. He also said that if anyone else tries to follow him..." He twirled his twin blades into a battle stance. "I should dispose of them immediately."

"We don't have time for this." Jewel glared. "Just let me have five min..."

"I'll handle him." Emerl interjected. Minus Kisame, the group was surprised as the Mirror Mech leapt over the door and stood firm against his opponent. "The rest of you can continue tracking Rush."

"What about you, Mr. Robot?" Karma asked curiously; the girls sniggered into their hands.

"One, don't ever call me that again." Emerl said monotonously. "And two, Jewel is right – we can't get distracted. The longer we wait, the greater chance that Rush has already made contact with Maido."

"But what about..." Mia began.

"Of the five of us, I have the greatest possible chance of success." Emerl explained seriously. "Kisame could very well defeat Stratus; there is no doubt in that. But he is going to need his strength for when you catch up to Maido."

"Fine, we'll go." Kisame replied; the group seemed dumbstruck. "Just do us a favor and ry not to get yourself killed."

"Try to show a little confidence." Emerl said smugly.

There was a definite hesitation in the group over leaving their newest comrade, but the meaningful glare in the Mist Swordsman's eye silently settled the argument. Emerl bulbous eyes never left the Cosmic Knight even as the small band of heroes drove further into the forest, kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt in their wake. The Mirror Mech's automatic sensors scanned through the visual hazard – his thermal vision captured a large heat spot growing closer. Emerl curved his body backwards as Stratus cross-slashed his twin swords in midair, barely missing the Gizoid's crest. Emerl gathered and electrical charge in his right claw as the starry raven passed overhead and stabbed for the opportunity. However, Stratus was highly intelligent and a skilled tactician, which only made him a deadlier opponent. The electrified claw, which Stratus remembered to be called Metal Surge, was less than an inch away from his chest when the Cosmic Knight breathed him and exhaled forcefully. A great blast of wind formed from the action and shot Stratus thirty feet into the air at the same time Emerl was thrusted into the ground, forming a ten foot crater. Stratus opened his wings to catch himself in the air and watched with solemn interest as the Gizoid crawled out of the crater – his armor was dented in the chest area.

"You survived." Stratus commented joyously, pulling out his notepad. "No one has ever survived a close range blast before, so I have insufficient data. Tell me, what did it feel like?"

"Like crap." Emerl answered dully.

"Interesting..." Stratus murmured, jotting down his notes. "Could elabo – hey, where'd you go?"

In the split second the Cosmic Knight looked away, Emerl literally vanished into thin air. A curious expression crossed Stratus' features as he replaced his notepad and recollected his twin swords. Stratus hovered absentmindedly in midair with his attention shoot back and forth between the trees – his height was supposed to provide him with an advantage. For a split second, the Cosmic Knight believed that his opponent had simply forfeited and ran away. This thought was brushed aside when a cold and heavy object knocked against the back of his head, causing him to fall forward in shock. As he descended closer to the ground, the black raven turned his body and faced the Gizoid champion that was falling directly behind him. Stratus swiped the sword in his right hand, but Emerl's swift movements captured the raven's wrist, forcing him to release his hold on the blade. With his first attempt a failure, the Cosmic attempted a counterstrike with his remaining weapon. The attack proved to in sufficient as Emerl snatched the Tengon's twin and used the Sword Lord's weapon to block the strike. Both warriors were locked in a struggle for dominance until Emerl pulled his legs up and pressed his feet against Stratus' chest. At that point, both combatants were only a few feet off the ground and the Gizoids recent attack cause Status to be thrown into the ground, unintentionally releasing his grip on the remaining Tengon. The Cosmic Knight tried pushing himself up, but was pinned in place by his own weapon being pressed against his throat.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." Emerl suggested.

"Well, this is an interesting turning point." Stratus commented nonchalantly. "The Tengon is no supposed to accept anyone else as it master. How are you able to hold it without causing yourself injury?"

"Who says it's not?" Emerl said lowly.

The Cosmic Knight blinked curiously as stared down the base of the weapon that had chosen him. The Tengon was proving that it would not allow Emerl to wield it judging by the number of scratches on the Gizoid's claw. Stratus had calculated that his body was made to endure attack from pure wind – he really wished he had his notepad out.

"You're stronger than you look." Stratus said politely. While the Gizoid wasn't looking, he slipped his hand into a small mud puddle next to him. "But not very smart to risk injuring yourself and leaving yourself open."

"That's not the way that I see it." Emerl proclaimed certainly. "I am the one holding the weapon with you lying flat on the ground. And even if you had somehow managed to turn the positions around, I still have my replication chip to analyze and mimic your movements. You can't do anything under my eyes."

"If there is one thing I have learned about this world..." Stratus said calmly. "It's that those with the upper hand never stop talking." Without warning, the Cosmic Knight lashed his hands and flung a handful of mud into Emerl's face. "And that's a weakness in itself."

The Mirror Mech stumbled backwards, dropping the Tengon in the process, and tried to wipe away the obscuring hazard blinding him. Stratus was smart enough not to pass up and ample opportunity and circle himself around on the ground with his legs outstretched, kicking against Emerl's ankle. The Gizoid toppled to his left side with a ringing thud. So while Emerl was blindly trying to stand, the Cosmic Knight used this chance to retrieve his weapons from the forest floor. Emerl had managed to use a nearby tree to support himself and swiped his hand to the right when the sound of snapping twigs entered his range of hearing. He would never realize that his claw came close to slashing Stratus' forehead as the black raven rolled to the left and kneeled close to the Gizoid's kneecaps. The cunning Sword Lord pounded the hilt of the Tengon into Emerl's knees, causing him to drop forward, allowing the raven to perform a successful uppercut. The so-called invincible Gizoid tumbled unceremoniously on his back, groaning loudly. Though his vision was still obscured by the murky substance, he could clearly tell that Stratus had crossed his blades over the warrior's neckline.

"You tricked me." Emerl scowled.

"Not tricked, planned." Stratus explained. "Though I was nearly turned into roadkill, I did catch a glimpse of your battle against Maido last night. I noticed that your eyes were different before and after you fought him."

"You realized that by replication program activates when scanning enemies." Emerl continued reluctantly. "Without my eyes..."

"You can't copy me." Stratus completed, firming his grip on the Tengon. "This is surprisingly easier than I thought."

A sense of dread washed over the Mirror Mech. How could he, one of the world's most powerful titans, be beaten so effortlessly by a man with a short attention span? Emerl had no time to contemplate on his failure before the raven's hands twitched, crossing his blades together with an irritable shriek of grinding metal. So just imagine his surprise when the twin blades cut through the mechanical warrior, but left no sign of injury of destruction. In fact, Emerl looked almost transparent. Was he a ghost?

"Heads up!"

The Cosmic Knight blinked in bewilderment as he snapped his head to the right at the very moment a pair of golden rings was tossed outwards from the shadows of the trees. Stratus cocked his head with a curious glance as the ring rolled across the forest floor and stopped at his feet, touching together with a small tap _click_. The pitch-black raven was thrown backwards off his feet as the ring exploded, tossing him haphazardly into the branches. At the sound of the explosion and the sudden realization that he was not dead, Emerl quickly reached up and clawed away the mud that had thankfully dried over time. With his vision free, the mechanical warrior looked down on his chest, where Cherry the Chao was waving happily.

"Chao chao." Cherry smiled.

"That's twice a chao has saved my life." Emerl laughed in a relieved tone.

"Are you all right?" The robot jumped in surprise and held his chest as Mia dropped down to his side. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"My body is fine, but my pride has been shattered." Emerl answered; Mia rolled her eyes. "But besides the point, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be helping Kisame and the others."

"We were until we started getting worried." Mia explained as she helped him stand. "So Cherry and I volunteered to go back and help while they went to help Rush."

"Although I think it was stupid..." Emerl groaned, stretching his metallic limbs. "I will say...thank you."

"No problem." Mia nodded.

"Chao." Cherry chirped.

"So tell me something." Emerl said curiously. "If you're here, who's driving?"

Mia and Cherry looked at one another – a wave of regret crossed their faces.

* * *

Further north from their position, the jeep carrying the remaining trio curved around trees wildly with an ominous screech radiating from the engine. Karma had managed to secure herself in the back seat with every seatbelt she could reach and Kisame was clinging to the sides of the back for dear life. Seriously, who in there right mind would put Jewel in the drivers seat? Besides the fact that the hotheaded echidna had no idea what she was doing, she had managed to drive the group through every bush, brush, and rock wall in the forest. They had already lost the hood of the jeep, three of the side doors, the tailpipe, and Kisame had the suspicion that they lost the front right tire.

"Ahh! We're gonna die!" Karma screamed.

"Try to stay positive!" Kisame yelled; his eyes were bugging out.

"We're gonna die quickly!" Karma cried.

"Don't worry, I can handle this." Jewel said firmly. Then after hitting a particularly rough bump, the steering wheel snapped off in her hands. "Ooh, that's not good."

Jewel and Karma jumped into the back and clung to the elder warrior as the jeep was shot off a dirt ramp.

* * *

"Yeah, not one of my better ideas." Mia moaned.

"Chao chao." Cherry shook his head.

I almost feel sorry for – move it!" Emerl shouted suddenly.

Before the technical hare and her tiny partner could decrypt the message, Emerl had already pushed the bonded duo to the side. Mia flopped to the grass with Cherry secured in her arm and sat up just in time to see Stratus dive from the canopy and tackle the Mirror Mech backwards. The dynamic warriors splashed into a small lake, which they had never noticed for some apparent reason, and disappeared into the depths.

"Emerl!" Mia cried.

"Chao!" Cherry yelled.

Much to be expected from the Kokiri Forest, the lake ran much deeper than it appeared and both warriors dropped slowly to the bottom. Emerl and Stratus were grappled with one another, struggling for superiority, but the mechanical warrior was thrown off his balance when the winged warrior kneed his torso. It the Mirror Mechs moment of distraction, Stratus wrapped his arms and legs around the Gizoid and locked them together, pinning Emerl's arms to his side. The mechanical warrior fruitlessly struggled with no avail – he was much weaker underwater. So with a cunning grin on his beak, the Cosmic Knight began flapping his wings casually.

"I suppose this is where it ends." Stratus said nonchalantly. "I'll have to remember to record this data."

"What makes you think you'll win?" Emerl questioned defiantly.

"Well, it's more of a science that will end you." Stratus explained simply. "It remains uncertain, but I have a suspicion that your body is made from large quantities of iron. If it is not, it makes little difference." He nods his head pointedly to the surrounding area. "And as you have already noticed, we are drenched in large quantities of water. The flapping of my wings in addition to the wind element of the Tengon adds oxygen to the mixture."

"So your planning to rust me to death?" Emerl asked strangely. "That would take hours to perform."

"True, but the added powers of Tengon increases the rate of oxidation." Stratus stated in a calculative manner. "It shouldn't take more than ten minutes to complete."

"Well, you're plan will never work." Emerl said with certainty. "You'll need to come up for air long before that happens."

"Silly little robot." Stratus laughed amusingly. "My species is born from the gases following the explosion of a supernova in the endless vacuum of space."

"You mean..." Emerl shuddered fearfully.

Stratus smiled with pride and enjoyment while strengthening his grip, uttering the three words that sealed the machine's end.

"I don't breathe."

* * *

**A new series of trails and tribulations await down the road. Will Emerl survive the strength of Stratus the Raven? Will the heroes locate Rush in time to save him? Or will Rush and Maido meet for their final showdown? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	15. Shooting Star, Part 2

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Fourteen: Shooting Star, Part 2

The scene returns to the lower-south sector of the Kokiri Forest, only a few eight miles away from the majestic Deku Tree. But the main focus of this venture travels to a far-out lakebed residing deep in the excessive branches, drawing stray creatures to its murky depths. Kneeling near the side of the body of water, Mia was attempting to peer through the glossy surface with her Chao partner, Cherry, hovering diligently over her shoulder.

"Chao chao chao?" Cherry chirped questionably.

"No, I don't see anything, Cherry." Mia sighed irritably. "It's been almost eight minutes now. They should have come up for air by now."

"Chao chao?" Cherry asked.

"No, I don't think Emerl would drown him." Mia said, but an uncertain expression crossed her face. "Ok, maybe he would, but would think that he would show a little restraint." She dipped her face into the water for a short moment, whining pitifully. "Oh, I wish I knew what was going on?"

* * *

Meanwhile, our attention shifts to the depths beneath the lake surface and closer to the murky bottom. Despite his valiant efforts, Emerl the Gizoid was proving to be powerless in comparison to his tormentor, Stratus the Raven. The Cosmic Knight Wrapped his arms and legs around the Gizoids limbs and locked them together, making an unbreakable seal. Stratus smiled in a cunning manner as he slowly flapped his wings back and forth in the water, feeling satisfied of his amazing accomplishment. However, watching Emerl squirm in his grip didn't seem as satisfying as Maido had told him – his chest felt a stinging pressure. Some unknown force momentarily compelled Stratus to release his grip, but Emerl's swift head-butt to the bird's beak only forced him to strengthen his hold.

"It's pointless to resist." Stratus informed dully. "I can tell by your rigid movements and your lack in physical strength that you are nowhere near as powerful submerged. I estimate this will be over in two minutes and twenty seconds."

"You can't hold me down here forever." Emerl said defiantly.

"I find your proclamation illogical and incorrect." Stratus hummed lightly. "My species doesn't need to breathe, so I could stay down here for an eternity. And if you haven't noticed, the oxidization covering the area is currently amplifying the rate of the corrosion in your metallic shell, thereby acceleration the transfer of the electrons from iron to oxygen, creating rust."

"_I hate to say it, but he's not just strong, but smart, too._" Emerl thought impressively. "_If only his mind could have been used for something worthwhile._"

"If you will look down, you will see the power of chemistry at work." Stratus said interestingly.

The Mirror Mech snapped his attention away from his tormentor long enough to witness the accelerated process forming across his chest. The once-powerful armor that constructed his body was now turned a rusty-red color that start from a simple spot and stretched across his abdomen in a spiderweb pattern. The ominous creaking was a distinct signal that his armor was sharply tearing itself away. Already, Emerl could see small rusty-red shreds of his armor breaking off and gently rising towards the surface. Emerl continued thrashing in Stratus' grip, trying desperately to break free as the concentrated rust patterns began to stretch towards his shoulder and lower body. Stratus watched with a distinct interest. He had studied machines in Megalo Station and never knew any type of robot to show fear. In fact, he had never known a robot to show any emotion at all – the stinging pressure returned to his chest. Finally heeding the unknown force commanding him, the Cosmic Knight released his grip. And just in time, too. Because at the moment the two warriors were separated from one another, a blur of red swiped between them, drawing the attention of the duo.

"Isn't that the girl's Chao?" Stratus asked cluelessly.

"Cherry?" Emerl questioned.

The blurred object suddenly uncurled itself to reveal the curious Cherry the Chao, floating upside-down with a confused gesture in his eyes. The cherry-red Chao wondered if Stratus knew he was coming. Whatever the case, this opportunity allowed Emerl to deliver a swift kick to the raven's abdomen and paddled forcefully to the surface. Cherry chirped happily at the accomplishment, never paying attention to the fact that he was drifting towards a rock wall at an unsafe speed. The next thing he knew, Cherry felt something hard beat across the back of his head and everything went black.

* * *

Back to the surface, Mia was standing along the edge of the lake, holding her hands together nervously. She still regretted letting Cherry convince her to throw the little Chao into the water with hopes of helping Emerl. By standard Chao age, Cherry was only a baby. If anything happened to him – no, Mia didn't want to think about it. A small sense of relief washed over the technical rabbit as she took careful notice of a ripple motioning across the surface of the lake. Mia jumped back from shock as Emerl suddenly exploded from the body of water, landing onto the mainland with a creaking thud. The Gizoid panted heavily – can robots do that? – And pushed himself onto his backside. Mia was quick to reach his side when spotting the amount of concentrated rust on his chest. Of all the times to forget her tools.

"That looks bad." Mia murmured softly. "Don't move. I think I might have packed some steel wool somewhere." The Gizoid craned his head to stare. "Hey, you've got to be ready for anything."

"There's no time for that!" Emerl said sharply.

The mechanical rabbit found herself no longer needing steel wool, but a pair of pliers and possibly some bonding gel. Emerl forced himself to sit upright and pressed his claw against his rusted chest, digging deep into the corroded metal. Quick as a flash, the Mirror Mech ripped away the useless material, exposing the mixture of wire, gears, and – Mia gapped – an organic heart. Sonic always told her that the Metal Squadron was a group of robots with organic structures inside, but Mia had never believed him. Looks like she owes him an apology. It must have been from his organic half that Emerl fell forward on his hands and knees, hissing painfully under his breathe – silky-black oil dripped on the grass.

"Are you all right?" Mia asked concerned.

"I'm used to this." Emerl grunted as he stood. "You two should get out of here as soon as possible. This birdbrain might just be more powerful than myself and I can't risk you getting hurt."

"I understand that." Mia moaned worriedly. "But what about Cher..."

"Forget something?"

Both heroes were brought back to reality by a quick geyser of water erupting from the lake, expelling Stratus the Raven from the murky depths. The Cosmic Knight had both wings covering his body as he slowly glided back to the mainland. Stratus slowly touched down to the wet grass and kneeled cautiously – he seemed to be distracted by something beneath him. But whatever it was, the raven was no longer concerned and flapped his wings outwards, unveiling the Tengon in both hands. Emerl barely raised his claws in time to catch the twin blades as Stratus dashed across the field with a single flap of his appendages. The Mirror Mech skidded backwards on his heels as the full force of Stratus' strike came forward. Angry that he had been outwitted by the swordsman, Emerl raised his left foot for a random cross kick, which unfortunately missed as the raven jumped upwards. However, the Gizoid quickly landed and swung his other leg around, successfully striking at the Cosmic Knight's cheek. Stratus collapsed into the trees and found himself tangled in a mass of leaves and branches at the same time he lost feeling in his left wing – the limp was broken.

"Damn, that smarts." Stratus moaned, but suddenly perked up. "Although, it does allow me to learn more from the experience."

"Then it looks like class is in session." Emerl said darkly.

Stratus snapped his beak to the sky, watching the Mirror Mech fall forward with his claws extended. As their battle continued in the tree tops, Mia had dived into the lake from the moment the older warrior crossed blades with each other. The technical rabbit had been trying to reach the bottom of the lake for the last twenty minutes, but her small lungs didn't last for three minutes. Mia breached the surface of the lake, gasping and panting desperately, and slowly waded to the shoreline. After six attempts to search the lake, she still couldn't find what she was looking for.

"I...can't...stop now." Mia wheezed hoarsely. "Cherry...needs me. Oh, Cherry...where are...you?"

"Chao..."

The sharp chirp pierced a ray of light in Mia dark cloud. The technically rabbit wildly scurried out of the water, splashing water in every direction, and managed to pull herself after two attempt. You could only imagine her sweet relief when discovering her pet/partner chirping tiredly on the grass close to the edge of the lake, rubbing his little eyes. Cherry yawned widely as if waking from a deep sleep before being pulled into a fierce hug by his owner, nearly choking the life out of him.

"Cherry, I was so worried about you!" Mia cried before pulling away. "How did you get out? I didn't see you surface."

"Chao...chao chao chao." Cherry said thoughtfully. "Chao chao."

"He did?" Mia said shockingly. "Are you sure?"

"Chao chao!" Cherry glared, puffing out his cheeks.

"Ok, I believe you." Mia laughed.

The technical rabbit just turned her attention to where the action was taking place, watching the competitive warriors jump from branch to branch. What if they were wrong? Emerl was sent flying by a swift jab from his opponent, but his hand snatched a firm limb and pulled himself back to safety. The Gizoid was still weak from ripping himself apart and the loss of his motor fluids wasn't really helping. If there was any consolation to this fight, it was the fact that Stratus seemed to become more hesitant with each move and the loss of his flight ability. Emerl was tempted to use his copying ability again, but he didn't know how the damage would affect his prowess. Looks like he was doing this the old fashioned way. The Cosmic Knight rebounded off the tall oak across from him, but Emerl fell backwards while reeling back the branch he stood on. A sharp snap was echoed hen the Gizoid released the branch and smacked Stratus directly in his left eyes. The sudden spike caused Stratus to lose focus and dived into a series of branches that caused him to unwillingly flip and fall to the ground on his back. The Cosmic Knight moaned from the pain vibrating up and down his spine, but his main concern was the damp feeling around his left eyes – he was bleeding. Being half blind, it was almost a miracle that Stratus could stare up into the canopy and spot Emerl diving for his head. The injured raven crossed the Tengon in front of his face, stopping Emerl's claw, and kicked at the Gizoid's chest to throw him off. Emerl flipped and landed on his feet at the same time Stratus kicked up to his stance.

"This has been a valuable learning experience." Stratus said pleasingly. "I now understand more about Earth customs and fighting styles than I did before and I am eternally grateful."

"But that doesn't mean you're going to let us go?" Emerl questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Orders are orders." Stratus shrugged. "And what Maido says goes."

"And I have my orders." Emerl stated coldly, holding out his right hand. "I am to bring Rush home safely...by any means necessary."

Stratus stared wide-eyed with astonishment and excitement as Emerl transfer the remained of his energy into his right claw, making the power visible. A deep crackle echoed throughout the forest as the Mirror Mech continued to increase the intensity of his family's signature technique. Once collecting as much energy as possible, Emerl dug his feet into the dirt and kicked off the ground with the Metal Surge flashing at his side. Stratus was so intrigued by the light show that he unconsciously dropped his twin blades and continued to stare. This was almost too easy. Emerl closed the gap between them and threw his claw forward to pierce the raven's cold-blooded heart. But once again, someone had to interfere. Before the Gizoid could successfully kill off the Sword Lord, stratus was pulled aside by his arm and Emerl completely missed his intended target. Instead, the Metal Surge ripped through the trunk of an elder tree – the aged tree collapsed sideways at the point of contact. With anger welling in his exposed heart, Emerl turned on his heels with a menacing stare. But at the moment he turned, a silver disk flew across the air and slapped at the crest on his forehead, sending a violent shock coursing through his body. The next thing he knew, Emerl's motor systems stopped functioning and the Gizoid dropped forwards with a metallic thud.

"Can't...move..." Emerl grunted.

"Of course you can't." The Gizoid was stunned to hear Mia talking so casually. "That device on your head is a handmade electron neutralizer. It immediately shutdown any and all electronic functions in comes in contact with. It's only a prototype because I never had a chance to test it before."

"Mia, what are you doing?" Emerl yelled outrageously. "Release me at once!"

"I want to talk to him first." Mia explained pleadingly. "I don't think he's as bad of a person you think he is."

"Have you not been paying attention?" Emerl growled.

"Actually, I have." Mia proclaimed. Leaving the Gizoid to wallow on the ground, the young hare crossed the grass and kneeled to the black raven. "Excuse me, Mr. Stratus."

"Mr. Stratus." Stratus repeated, cocking his head in confusion. "That's a new one."

"Mr. Stratus, were you the one who saved Cherry earlier?" Mia asked politely.

"You mean the Chao?" Stratus questioned, eyeing the red Chao floating overhead. "Oh yeah, I remember pulling him out of the water a while ago. He looked so helpless - I couldn't leave him down there."

"You're basing all his actions on one deed?" Emerl snapped from a distance.

"Anyone who saves a Chao deserves a chance to explain himself." Mia commented sharply, turning back to the Sword Lord. "Mr. Stratus, could you tell me why you want to fight us so badly."

"Because Maido told me to." Stratus answered simply. "He said to keep you away as long as possible He also said it would be better if we killed you so that you won't interfere."

"But what about your reasons?" Mia frowned.

"I...really don't have a reason." Stratus replied, scratching his head sheepishly. "When I arrived on this planet close to twenty years previously, the world was in the middle of something called the Dark War." Emerl flinched at the mentioning of the name. "People were fighting and killing each other everywhere on the planet – the one who killed the most were called the Dark Rulers. Maido explained to me that fighting is the only thing creatures on this planet know how to do."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Emerl questioned; he sounded sympathetic.

"Maido has promised never to lie to me." Stratus proclaimed. "He has taught me hundreds of things about this fascinating world and I was always eager to learn them. He told me of the religions of different countries, showed me how people must fight to survive, and even tutored me in the ways of swordsmanship – he was my mentor in the Seven Sword Lords. And when the group was divided, he swore to keep me safe as long as I do whatever he says."

"So you'll do whatever he wants?" Mia summarized sadly. "Even...hurt people."

"I have done it countless times." Stratus stated; he unknowing seemed downcast. "Upon Maido's request."

"When you hurt people, how does it make you feel?" Mia asked sharply. Emerl seemed to have guessed that she had been trying to reach this point during the entire conversation. "Does it make you feel any different when you see someone weak or tired or in pain."

"Now that you mention it..." Stratus said slowly. "When we were fighting in the water, I could feel something against my ribcage – it felt being pierced by my own blade a hundred times over. I sometimes feel this way whenever I have to fight someone that can't defend themselves. I never really understood it."

"You're sad." Mia proclaimed.

"I'm...sad?" Stratus asked slowly.

"Your heart is telling you that you don't want to fight." Mia smiled with Cherry chirping on her shoulder. "Mr. Stratus, I'm sorry to say this. But Maido has been lying to you the entire time." Stratus once again felt a sharp pain in his chest. "I know that you don't want to hear it, but I think you'll have a happier life if you figure out the way the world really works through your own eyes. The world may not be perfect, but you'll find that there are people who love and protect each other and that's something worth fighting for."

"But Maido..."

"You can't depend on him any longer." Emerl interjected. "I know what it's like to be deceived by someone you feel close to and then have your reality shattered before your very eyes. But the fact of the matter is that you need to trust in your own instincts rather than rely on someone else. And when you heart feels that it is safe to open, you'll know you'll have found someone who you can trust."

"So...Maido lied to me?" Stratus murmured, sniffing sharply. "All this time..."

"I know it hurts." Mia said kindly. The Cosmic Knight was taken by surprise as the young hare and her pet hugged him around the waist. "But if it makes you feel any better, Cherry and I can be your friends."

"Friends..." Stratus whispered. "I don't know what that is, but I like the sound of it."

Mia and Cherry smiled brightly at the newest member of their list of friends. Stratus didn't know what is was, but the feeling in his chest went away and something bright and warm filled its place – he liked it. Feeling that they had finally come to an understanding, Mia happily pulled away from the Cosmic Knight and skipped merrily to the Gizoid. Although, she did hesitate to remove the neutralizer when noticing his steely glare. So Mia ripped off the neutralizing disk and dashed behind Stratus' legs for safety. Emerl regained feeling in his limbs and picked himself up, slowly and subtly making his way to face the Sword Lord. The Mirror Mech and Cosmic Knight stared down at one another, wondering who would make the first move. It was Emerl who brought and end to the conflict and held his hand out for Stratus to shake. Of course, the space avian had no idea what he was doing.

"Are you going to hit me?" Stratus asked cluelessly.

"Never mind." Emerl sighed.

"Well, that's settled." Mia giggled humorously. "Now let's go find the others before Jewel break my – well, I guess it's too late for that."

"First things first." Emerl said strongly, forcing Stratus to face him. "I want to know about what's really going on around here."

* * *

The scene alternates to the Great Deku Tree that towered like a colossus over its miniature brethren. Standing on a branch that was relatively thirty feet off the ground, Maido watched the rising sun as it fully emerged beyond the horizon, clutching the Flarus at his side. The hedgehog should have been here by now. Where is he? The Guardian of Hell took in a quick whiff of the misty air and captured the hedgehog's scent stationary only a few miles from his current position. The brat must have fallen asleep along the way. However, the hellish hound was captivated by another scent that lingered only a few feet to the trunk of the tree behind him.

"You'll get the hedgehog soon enough." Maido sneered, turning to face Naga the Snake. "And don't worry; I'm only going to shatter every bone in his body before handing him over to you. He'll still be alive by then...hopefully."

"I have no doubt in my mind." Naga hissed casually, taking his place at the Cerberus' side. "The sunrise is always a beautiful masterpiece, no matter where you are."

"What are you doing here?" Maido questioned irritably.

"Only to give you a warning." Naga stated; Maido glared. "I have known Rush the Hedgehog for only a short time, but I have noticed that he grows stronger from his defeats rather than his victories. If he is anything like his father, he'll prove to be a more complicated problem that he has already proven to be."

"Are we talking about the same brat?" Maido scoffed. "The little rodent who couldn't hold five seconds against me? Both times I fought him; he only won because someone else did his dirty work."

"Do not underestimate him." Naga said warningly. "It could be you last mistake."

"Whatever." Maido rolled his eyes, nonchalantly walking away. "When I see his blue ass again, I'm not going to hold back."

"That's what I'm counting on." Naga grinned, knowing the Cerberus couldn't hear him.

* * *

**One trial is overcome, but two more still remain. Will Stratus' conversion bring the defeat of the Sword Lords? Will Rush be stopped be meeting Maido? And what is the true reason behind Naga's plan? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	16. Settling the Score, Part 1

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

Chapter Fifteen: Settling the Score, Part 1

The scene opens at noon in the heart of the Kokiri Forest just three miles south of the visible Great Deku Tree. In all this time, we have been so focused on the battle against the Sword Lords that one has gone severally unnoticed. Though that may be one of the reasons he's still alive. Rush the Hedgehog had fallen unconscious several hours beforehand under the shade of the surrounding forest trees, hidden behind a row of gangly bushes. The twin-colored hedgehog was so deep in the darkness he never even flinched when the surrounding wildlife were trotting and poking at him. Even at this moment, a small trio of chipmunks were trying stuff their storage into his ear when Rush finally stirred.

"Ugh...what happened?" Rush moaned, causing the chipmunks to scurry away. The twin-colored hedgehog groaned awkwardly as he sat up and stretched his back, absent-mindedly picking his earlobe. "And why do I have an acorn stuck in my ears?"

"Hands off my nuts!" One of the chipmunks squeaked from the bushes.

"Man, how long have I been out?" Rush blinked sleepily, ignoring the miniscule sounds. When the twin-colored hedgehog retrieved the watch from his quills, his eyes were on the verge of bulging out of their sockets. "No way! I've been asleep for over seven hours?"

"Seven hours and twenty-two minutes." The second chipmunk said helpful before falling silent.

"Damn!" Rush cursed strangely; it was his first time. "Maido might have left by now. I gotta work fast."

The young prince of South Kingdom wasted no time in recollecting himself as he kicked back to his feet. But when he regained his footing, his weight was shifted uneasily and was forced to kneel. There was a large dark-purple bruise on his left kneecap, meaning that it would be increasingly difficult and painful for him to move at top speed. But in comparison to Alina's pain, this was nothing more than a simple scratch. Just the simplest thought of his sister's slow demise drove the feeling of pain from his mind and willed himself to stand, despite the shaking limb. Rush started off slowly, trying to become accustom to this new handicap, but quickly picked up the pace as he dashed off in a blur of red and blue light. However, he failed to notice the seashell necklace still dangling from the branches above.

"He looked friendly." The third chipmunk commented, much to the brother's annoyance.

* * *

The scenery shifts to another part of the Kokiri forest only half a mile east of Rush's previous position. It became obvious as to where the lakes and ponds were getting their water from. A large waterfall was formed against a rock wall that stood fifty-seven feet above the canopy – its cool liquid originating from the roots of the Great Deku Tree. A wide river formed at the base of the freefalling waters that separated the trees from one another. A few river otters were playing in the shallow waters, stopping only when they noticed an unusual anomaly in their territory. Though they didn't realize it at the time, Jewel the Echidna was laying face forward in the river, being carried away by the drifting wake. The hot-blooded echidna was stopped when he forehead made contact with an uplifted rock and broke out of her stupor, forcing herself to turn on her back.

"That went as well as everything else has been these past few days." Jewel commented dryly. The white echidna felt a pressure on her stomach and looked down at otter duo sitting on her liver. "Can I help you two."

"I think you've done enough helping for one day."

The short-tempered echidna glared defiantly as Kisame dropped down from the canopy of the trees, carrying the Samehada effortlessly on his shoulders. Jewel didn't blame the otters when they jumped fretfully into the river after taking a short glance at the Mist Swordsman's appearance – Kisame was heartbroken. Amidst the disastrous wreck that had been taken place due to Jewel's own ineptitude, the Akatsuki member had lost his robe and reveal that his body was completely covered in blue scales and that his underclothing consisted of a pair of formfitting black pants. This also meant that the former criminal had also lost the only means of supporting his left arm, which was resting uselessly at his side. Jewel picked herself up as Kisame waded into the shallow waters to face her, wringing out her quills of the wetness.

"That's the last time we're letting you drive." Kisame sighed disapprovingly.

"That's the last time I'm going near those contraptions." Jewel scowled, brushing her hair back with a sharp snap. "Speaking of which, where is that stupid machine."

"You might wanna try looking up." Kisame commented, pointing to the rock wall. The white warrior followed his line of vision, spying Mia's beloved jeep smashed against the surface. "Yeah, the kid's gonna be pissed that you messed up two of her favorite rides."

"Two?" Jewel muttered in a bored manner. "Last time I checked, you were the one that turned the girl's plane into a puddle."

"Point taken." Kisame nodded, suddenly becoming interested with the surrounding area. "Say, have you noticed that it's been unusually quiet."

Jewel was taken back by the oddity of the questioned, but realizing that he had a firm point. Against the rushed roars of the nearby walls, there was hardly any cause for disturbance or, in Jewel's case, annoyance. Karma was missing. And while the white echidna had no feelings for the rambunctious teen, she was sure that Kisame would pound her to a pulp if she didn't help look for his protégé. And so the duo began a wide sweep of the area around the river, but didn't know where to begin. All the while, Karma was lying peacefully in the soft canopy of the forest, snuggling happily against the soft leaves. The fresh air, cool shade, and warm atmosphere made the unusual blond so joyful to be alive

_...Alive...Alive...Alive..._

* * *

_-Flashback-_

A raven-haired woman was sitting upwards in the sheeted bed of a white-tiled hospital room, sobbing relentlessly into her hands. The atmosphere was depressing as seen by the somber doctor and the teary-eyed nurse patting the sorrowful woman gently on her shoulder. The cause of the sudden grief was cradled silently in the doctor's arms – a newborn child should never be so quiet. The suffering woman stiffened her tears for a short moment, moving her hands away from her line of vision to stare at the motionless child. Her daughter – her first and only child. Why did she have to pay for her own mistakes? The unsettled doctor sighed heavily and stepped closer to the woman, forcing himself to stare directly into her watery blue eyes.

"I'm sorry; there was nothing I could do?" The doctor murmured.

"A-are you s-s-sure." The raven-haired woman sobbed. "I-Is she re-ealy..."

"You knew the chances were slim." The Doctor said in a detached manner. "Given your medical history and the fact that you suffered some major injuries before the birthing cycle, your daughter's survival rate was only 1.06 percent."

"Can I..." The woman gulped, stifling her tears. "At least hold her?"

The medical practitioner showed signs of rejecting the idea, but his assistant quickly snatched the unmoving child from his arms before he could speak. The raven-haired woman gently took her only daughter into her arms, staring absentmindedly at the little girl's features. She had soft skin and a round face like her mother, but had a small tuft of glossy-blond hair like her father – may he rest in peace. He she survived the situation; the woman knew he daughter would grow up to be beautiful. Tears returned to the distraught mother's eyes and found herself unable to stop grieving – everything she had ever loved was dead. But without the mother's notice, one of her salty tears trailed down her cheeks and dropped into the baby's open mouths, causing her to cough harshly. The room was eerily silent. And before they knew it, the newly born child was crying her lung out, lost and confused to the new world around her. The doctor and nurse were absolutely stunned, but raven-haired mother found herself crying again, this time with tears of untold happiness.

"But...that's impossible." The doctor gapped shockingly. "I check her pulse...and everything."

"Good things happen to good people." The nurse smiled kindly, patting the proud mother's shoulder. "That's called karma."

"Karma..." The woman said thoughtfully, gazing joyously at her reborn daughter. "It's perfect. My little Karma...Karma...

"_**Wake up, brat!**_"

-_End Flashback-_

* * *

"AAHHH!"

The Goddess of Fate was ripped from her pleasant dreams by a powerful outburst from the white-furred echidna, causing her to roll off her beloved branch. Kisame was sitting on a large rock next to the flowing river, watching with mild interest as his student dropped into his line of vision and make contact with the rocky ground with her forehead. Even the legendary Monster of the Mist couldn't resist laughing in crazed manner at the sight of the blond-haired teen rolling around on the ground. Jewel dropped from the branches with a prideful grin on her expression – this was payback for the camping trip.

"Do you have to be so mean? Karma pouted, rubbing her scarlet forehead.

"Yes." Jewel answered simply.

"Meanie." Karma whined. She sat up appropriately and turned her head back and forth between the gentle river and the raging waterfall. "Where are we, Mr. Fishy?"

"Thanks to _someone..._" Kisame emphasized, ignoring his begrudged nickname. "We're lost in the middle of nowhere. But on the upside, I feel that we're getting close." He looked over his right shoulder, watching his beloved sword twitch violently. "The Samehada is reacting to the hedgehog's energy, which means he must be close. It's my guess that he somewhere above the falls, probably heading to the heart of the forest."

"Then we should start climbing." Jewel stated seriously, pulling out her signature Shovel Gloves. "The faster we find that blue idiot, the faster I can beat some sense into his thick skull!"

"That won't be happening."

Without warning, Kisame jumped forward and grabbed the back of Jewel's shirt before pressing his feet into gravel, enabling him to pull back. She was saved at the last second. Before the hot-tempered echidna was pulled back to safety, a thin wave of water breached the surface of the river and lashed across the surface, slicing through everything in its path. Kisame had pulled back the young warrior when the water blade reached the gravely and formed a clear path in the rocks, additionally cutting down a few trees as it passed through the forest. The Monster of the Mist tossed Jewel aside for her own safety and reached over his shoulder to withdraw the Samehada – the sword twitched hungrily. Though the water was only knee-deep, Torta the Turtle somehow managed to conceal his hulking form before steadily breaching the surface to make himself known. Bad blood ran between Kisame and Torta, bot of whom were twitching their hands eagerly to strike.

"Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Kisame glared malevolently.

"It's fate that brought us here, monster." Torta snarled evilly. "And it's fate that will lead me to your demise."

"Do you know how much you sound like someone from a samurai movie?" Karma commented innocently; Torta screeched fiercely. "What? It's true."

"We don't have time for this." Jewel scowled spitefully, pounding her Shovel Claws threateningly. "Three against one, we'll crush this freak's shell in no time."

"Torta is stronger than he's letting on." Kisame said seriously; his eyes never leaving the round tortoise. "He was holding back when we were fighting the last time – a true fighter never reveals his trump card at the get-go. And while we might hold the advantage over him as a team, he has no intention of winning against us." His question was now directed to the tortoise. "Isn't that right, Torta?"

"You always were annoyingly bright." Torta grumbled.

"If he doesn't plan to beat us, then why fight in the first place?" Jewel questioned cluelessly.

"Because he wants to distract us from Rush." Karma said brightly, surprising the hot-tempered warrior. "Every minute we waste here, it's a better chance for Rush to meet up with that Cerberus guy." She absentmindedly points to Torta. "The funny turtle only wants to keep us here long enough until they capture him."

"That's why we have to split up." Kisame said defensively as Torta withdrew Baruzil. "Jewel, you run on ahead and stop the hedgehog before he does anything stupid. Karma and I'll take care of Torta."

"You think you can handle him?" Jewel questioned seriously.

"We're two members of Akatsuki, the greatest organization in the world." Kisame boasted proudly. "I think we're capable of handling one Mist Swordsman wannabe."

That was enough for Jewel – she really didn't care to begin with. The white-furred echidna's shoes crunched against the uneven gravel as she made her charge for the rock wall with her Shovel Claws ready. At the point where Jewel jumped towards the rocky surface, Torta stabbed the Baruzil into the river and lashed ahead, forming a saw blade of water. Despite his advanced age, Kisame skidded to the side and stood in the path of the aqua blade with Samehada guarding the majority of his body. The living weapon easily absorbed the energy deposited from the water blade – the sharkskin crawled beneath the bandages – and the wet weapon simply splashed at the Swordsman's feet. Meanwhile, Karma was staring blankly as her echidna friend – Jewel would argue otherwise – climbed the steep mountainside wall using only her Shovel Claws.

"Whoa, that really takes me back." Karma said thoughtfully.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

The Kiligen Mountains were rumored to be the tallest peak in the east country, but that wasn't very impressive considering that they were in the open country. The mountain range stretched across the grassy fields for two miles and stood at a relatively miniscule height of seventy feet. But that was enough for Karma. The over excitable girl was six years old at the time with a shoulder length hairline added by a single braid dangling over her right ear. The rambunctious girl's eyes were glistening with excitement as she stretched her hand higher to the next foothold, taking her to the thirty-foot point of her climb. Down at the base of the mountain, Karma's raven-haired mother had her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes in equal part anger and exasperation.

"Karma, you know I don't like it when you do this stuff!" The mother yelled. "Now come down here before you do break something again!"

"But I'm half way there, mom!" Karma shouted in return. "Once I reach the top, I'll be right down!"

"Oh Karma..." The mother sighed. "I guess this should have been expected. She's been trying to get herself killed ever since she could crawl."

In the meantime, her six year-old daughter was eagerly climbing her way up the rugged mountainside at an impressive pace – she had already reached the fifty foot point. But as she stretched her hand to advance, the rock beneath her foot suddenly crumbled under the weight, throwing the happy-go-lucky blond off the mountainside. Karma's mother inwardly groaned and rubbed the migraine forming in her skull as she watched her only daughter freefall from a deadly drop. But just as she was ten feet from the solid Earth, a herd of sheep passed under Karma's form and cushion the girl with their woolen coats. Karma blinked cluelessly as the row of woolly animals passed by her mother, dropping her off with a gently shrug. The raven-haired mother sighed and shook her head at her daughter, who was complaining about her sore backside.

"You nearly died...again." The mother commented blandly. "I swear, if you weren't so lucky, I'd scold you."

Karma just laughed before being followed by her cheerful mother.

"**Karma, heads down!**"

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

Karma snapped her mind back to reality, finding herself staring at the waterfall after Jewel had already climbed away from the scene. Looking over to the voice of her beloved sensei, she instead found Torta the Tortoise standing in her vision at mid-jump with the Baruzil ready to swing. But there's a reason why she is so lucky. Karma instinctively took a step backwards, unintentionally tripped on the rocks and falling forward into the cool waters of the river. Torta's swing clearly missed its intended target and as she stepped down, his foot got caught on arm of Karma's cloak and fell face forward into the gravel. The happy-go-lucky blond pulled her face out of the water, slapping her hair around to throw off the wetness – Torta crushed the gravel with his teeth in anger as the liquid splashed his face. But the Phantom of the Mist had more important things to worry about. The Sword Lord saw the shadow of Kisame stretched on the ground and instinctively retracted his limbs into his protective shell before the Samehada made contact. The Monster of the Mist attempted to steady his hand after his fabled weapon collided with Torta's shell, causing a loud ring sound to vibrate across the area. As Kisame backtracked away from his persistent adversary, he looked down at the Samehada – the bandages had been ripped open during the fight.

"Damn, his armor is as hard as diamonds." Kisame hissed harshly, resting the Samehada on his shoulder. "The only way we can take him out is if he sticks his head out long enough for us to cut his throat."

"The Samehada doesn't cut." Karma commented comically, wiping the wet bangs from her forehead. "It shreds things, right?"

"Now's not the time to be correcting me." Kisame said worriedly.

"So that's your plan, is it?" Torta echoed laughed lightly; his voice was echoed by his shell. "You plan to wait it out until I finally reveal myself, allowing you the opportunity to eliminate me in one stroke?"

"That's pretty much the idea." Karma shrugged.

"Idiots." Torta scoffed.

Without warning, the defensive shell began twirling in place, sending random bits of gravel flying in every direction. Karma covered her face from the airborne pebbles, but Kisame endured the piece of stone pounding against his rough skin so that his vision never trailed away from the tortoise. Just as he predicted, Torta ripped away from the ground and shot across the air like a cannonball to the master and apprentice duo. Almost instantaneously, Karma scurried away down the river while Kisame thrusted the Samehada forward to deflect the withdrawn tortoise. This worked for the initial counterstrike, but the Sword Lord rebounded against three tree in a calculated pattern and flew back to strike Kisame in the back. The Monster of the Mist groaned as he dropped in the river, finding it more difficult to push himself up – old age was finally catching up to him. But even with this defect, Kisame still managed to roll to the side to avoid a crushing blow from the flying tortoise and watched him hover across the river shore. Unfortunately, Torta was flying in Karma's direction. The happy-go-lucky blond was out in the open and Torta was flying too low for her to duck – there was only one option left. Beyond the Sword Lord's wildest imagination, the Mist Swordsman's apprentice made a mad dash directly at the flying shell and jumped forward. It was like watching something out of a kung-fu movie. The Goddess of Fate performed a perfect front flip, pressing her hands against the spinning shell as he flew beneath her, and landed with perfect posture back in the water. And because of the previous action, the Phantom of the Mist was flipped and crashed into the gravel on his back.

"Ugh...damn it!" Torta snapped, struggling to regain his posture. "What the hell are you, some kind of circus freak?"

"Not just any circus freak." Karma smiled brightly. "The best show on Earth: The Goddess of Fate!"

* * *

_-Flashback-_

Loud chattering and hopeful murmurs were scattered across the crowd as they took their seats for the show. Hundreds of people have been waiting for the Twelve Star Circus to arrive for what seemed like a lifetime – seats were sold out months in advance. Everyone that had seen the performances agree that it was the best act they've seen since the Sonic Heroes during their glory days. The circus was so popular in fact that it caught the eye of one particular guest. Standing next to the ringmaster was a youthful woman with sapphire-blue that touched her shoulders, a silver piercing on her chin, and a colored paper rose resting on the side of her hair. She wore the cloak of the Akatsuki and wore their ring on her right middle finger, making it obvious why the leader of the circus was being so respectful to her.

"It is such at honor to have you in our humble circus, Ms. Konan." The ringmaster said excitedly. "It is not very often we have a high ranking member of Akatsuki come to watch our performance."

"There are only six members at the moment, so I wouldn't say I'm 'high ranking'." Konan said kindly, though keeping a formal appearance. "But moreover, I am here on a scouting venture."

"A scouting venture, my lady?" The ringmaster said confused.

"I've been hearing several rumors about your lead performer." Konan stated. "Each one more unbelievable than the last. I would like to take this opportunity to witness it for myself."

"Then we shouldn't keep you waiting, my lady." The ringmaster bowed respectfully. That blue-haired woman stepped away into the shadows, letting the circus leader take his place in the spotlight. "Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages! Welcome to the Twelve Star Circus! Now I'm sure you're all anxious to see the spectacular shows we have arranged for you, so let's not keep you waiting!" He pointed directly above him. "Turn your eyes to the skies as we witness yet another death defying performance from our little lady luck! Please put your hands together for the Goddess of Fate: Karma Tensuya!"

The crowd was in an overjoyed frenzy as the spotlights flashed to the highest point of the tent. A twelve year-old Karma had her hair tied in a delicate ponytail wearing a flamboyant rosy-red tube-top and baggy silk pants, not even carrying that she was walking barefoot on a thin rope forty feet off the ground. The happy-go-lucky blond turned in a full circle on one foot, keeping perfect balance, and stopped to face the crowd, blowing sweet kisses to her fans. But beyond the cheers of the crowd, Konan watched with a stunned expression while watching the preteen flip forward and balance herself with only her hands.

"A little girl?" Konan murmured. "Funny, when I imagine her, I expected her to be a little...taller."

"Yes, yes, she is an adorable little scamp!" The ring master laughed after settling the crowd. "And now on to the main event! Our skilled archers will cut the rope on either side of Karma, propelling her to the Earth at breakneck speed! Along the way, she will have to dodge flaming rings tossed by our acrobats, more flying arrows, and avoid the bed of spikes waiting on the ground below! Will the Goddess of Fate finally meet her end?"

Now even Konan's interest was peaked. If a twelve year-old girls could pull this off, she would be impressed. The ringmaster craned his head for a better view of his lead performer, who was showing incredible acrobatic skills by steadying herself on one hand. The circus leader seemed to hesitate momentarily before throwing his hands to the pair of fierce looking archers waiting on the sidelines. The dual bowmen wasted no time after being given their cue and release two silver-tipped arrows that instantaneously snapped the tightrope on broths ends, sending Karma flailing towards the ground. Before she had even dropped ten feet, two trapeze performers jumped into the scene, tossing four fire-coated hoops directly into Karma's path. But amazingly, a random bee flew past her nostrils, causing the blond performer to sneeze loudly. The sudden action caused her to gain so momentary height before dropping directly through all four hoops the moment they were aligned. With the first obstacle completed, the archers quickly knocked four arrows each at released with pinpoint precision for the girl's head. But by some divine providence, the rope that carried Karma earlier had dropped before the blond performer and captured the arrows in its loops, throwing the projectiles away.

"Impressive." Konan commented lightly. "I can't wait to see her she handles this last act."

At the same time, one of the lion tamers was walking by, carrying the traditional whip and chair, when a random banana peel dropped in his path, causing the man to slip and throw his chair away. Konan could only count the number of times she has seen that happen before. It must have been fate that carried the wooden stool in Karma's path as she was within five feet of the bed of steel spikes. Sensing this perfect opportunity, the happy-go-lucky blond flipped forward and thrusted her feet against the seat, allowing her to flip backwards away from the deadly mattress. The wooden stool shattered upon contact, but Karma landed to safety with perfect posture, bowing happily at the applause that followed.

"There's a reason she our star performance." The ringmaster whispered to the Akatsuki member.

"I can see that." Konan smiled for the first time in a while. "She'll do perfectly."

"**Stop spacing out, brat!**"

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

"Say wha now?" Karma mumbled absentmindedly.

"Move it!" Kisame exclaimed.

By the time the Goddess of Fate had regained a sensible mind; Torta had momentarily exposed his right arm and leg to flip himself over and began twisting in place. Even Karma was smart enough to drop on her back when the Phantom of the Mist propelled himself through the air, even if she did end up soaking herself in the river. But Torta's attack was never intended for the blond protégé. Kisame was forced to use the Samehada as a full body shield to repel the oncoming strike. And as he predicted, Torta used the surrounding environment to rebound back at the shark-faced swordsman, who turned and blocked at his approach. Back and forth, both aquatic swordsmen in a repetitive struggle that forced the Monster of the Mist to swing the Samehada like a baseball bat. Torta was repelled for six times before at opportunity opened. The enraged Sword Lord could feel the living blade pounding against his diamond-hard shell as he was thrusted into the ground, but managed a perfect rebound into Kisame's chest. The Mist Swordsman was thrown haphazardly across the scattered gravel before his spine made contact with the rock wall to the left of the waterfall.

"Kisame-Sensei!" Karma yelled worriedly.

"Karma, stay back!" Kisame shouted ruggedly, disregarding the purple bruise forming on his chest. "I can handle a Mist Swordsman poser by myself, so you just go on ahead and help the echidna!"

"But..."

"You still think yourself superior." Torta growled; his shell rested motionlessly in the river. "But the fact of the matter is that you have gone soft in your old age, Kisame Hoshigaki. You were once revered as the most ruthless and sadistic member of the traitorous Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." He scoffed loudly. "Now look at you – crippled by attachments. You've change, monster."

"Then you know I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to you." Kisame groaned pleadingly.

"Sorry won't give me back my life!" Torta roared dangerously.

The defensive Sword Lord once again began twisting in place, preparing to launch himself yet against with his unbreakable tactic. Kisame attempted to use the Samehada to support his weakened state, but the living sword was equally weak from being unable to devour energy within the past few hours. Meanwhile, Karma pulled herself out of the shallow waters and wiped her drenched hairline away, helplessly watching for the imminent destruction of her teacher. The Goddess of Fate felt compelled to saving her beloved teacher, even if Kisame never wanted her in the first place.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

Karma was trying her best to remain composed, but found it extremely difficult to hold in her excitement. She was walking alongside Konan, co-founder of Akatsuki, and was wearing a black cloak with red clouds that matched the blue-haired woman. It was hard to believe that only four months ago, the paper-user came to her grand performance at the Twelve Star Circus and requested her to join their organization. She felt bad about leaving all the friends she had made, but all of them had agreed that this was an opportunity of a lifetime – for her to make a real name for herself. Konan was capable of keeping a straight face against Karma's excitable grin, but could feel a sense of pride growing in her chest. Nagato would have been proud. The dual females stopped at the entrance to an ancient dojo where they were assigned to meet the rest of the members when the blue-haired woman turned to her newest ally.

"Leader-Sama and the others are waiting inside." Konan said monotonously. "While in his presence, I expect you to utmost respect and refrain from speaking out of turn. Leader-Sama is a great man and deserves your full cooperation."

"Aye-aye, paper lady!" Karma saluted giddily.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Konan muttered exasperatedly.

Karma cocked her head and the blue-haired woman sighed deeply – maybe she made a mistake. Without hesitation, Konan pushed the dojo doors aside and allowed entrance for the duo. It was there that Konan would meet her newest friends during her time with the Akatsuki. There were currently five members waiting at the opposite end of the training facility; all of them were the traditional black cloak with red clouds. The first person Karma saw was another woman with ghostly-white skin and choppy grassy-green hair that pointed in every direction. In addition to her cloak, she wore a crown of flowers on her head, but refrained from wearing socks or shoes, revealing her dirty feet. The next member had shaggy sterling-silver hair that reach to the base of his neckline and a pair of piercing-gold eyes that seemed to stare into her very soul. He was hunched over, looking like a wolf ready to pounce on his prey with his viciously sharp claws. The last one was the only normal looking member of the group – he was a tall man with spiky violet-purple hair with white highlights. He wore the Akatsuki cloak like the others, but had ripped away the sleeves to expose his tattooed arms. In the back of the trio, the tallest of Akatsuki wore a straw hat to cover his face and carried a weapon covered in bandages on his back. The last one – obviously the leader – could not be identified due to the shadows covering his face.

"Hey, look who's back!" The purple-haired man laughed. "Hey, Konan, you starting a babysitting service or something?"

"This is Karma." Konan answered dully. "She is the seventh member of Akatsuki."

"You're joking, right?" The purple-haired man sniggered. "The kid looks like she should still be in diapers."

"Don't listen to him – he's just a hopeless idiot." The white-skinned woman smiled; the purple-haired man seemed instantly depressed. "Welcome to Akatsuki, little one. My name is Lotus bloom" She pointed to the savage looking man. "This is Fang – he doesn't talk very much." She then rolled her eyes and pointed her thumbs at the second male. "And this insensitive jerk is Rend Hinzu."

"Hey, I have feelings, too." Rend moaned sadly.

"So this is the legendary Goddess of Fate." The leader said coolly; the room was instantly silent. "If you even half as good as Konan says you are, you'll be a valuable member to Akatsuki."

"Thank you, Leader-Sama." Karma smiled.

"You'll be working wit Kisame." The leader stated, holding to the hand to the masked warrior. "I have a feeling you two will work well together."

"Hello, Mr. Kisame." Karma greeted cheerfully, holding a hand out to shake. "I'm Karma – I'm a circus freak."

"You can't call yourself a freak when your working with the king of freaks!" Kisame shouted dramatically, ripping off his hat with a demonic grin. "The name's Kisame Hoshigaki, the Monster of the Hidden Mist! And you, my little partner, are in the face of a real nightm..."

"Fish face!" Karma interrupted laughing; Kisame facefaulted.

"What the hell?" Kisame exclaimed after picking himself up. "Aren't you scared? You're staring into the face of a ruthless killer with the face and strength of a monster! Even my name means demon shark! You should be shitting you pants right now!"

"You look like a fishy." Karma giggled eagerly; Kisame gapped. "I'll call you Mr. Fishy."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kisame screamed absurdly.

"You know, this black and red stuff doesn't work for me." Karma said randomly, looking down at her cloak. "It kinda makes me feel depressed. Maybe I can get it personally tailored!"

And with that, the happy-go-luck blond turned on her heels and skipped merrily on her way back to the village. Lotus and Rend found themselves laughing at the strange occurrence that had passed, but the leader of the group was clearly the loudest of all of them. Fang showed no expression whatsoever and Konan kept an air of dignity, though she was smiling softly. Kisame, still stunned by the unusual event, slowly turned to the leader with his eyes wide with terror and his mouth gaping cluelessly.

"Where do you find these people..." Kisame moaned.

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

"Mr. Fishy..." Karma murmured reminiscently.

"Burn in hell, Hoshigaki!"

The Goddess of Fate snapped her attention back to reality and the Phantom of the Mist started spinning threateningly – Kisame was still too weak to stand. Even someone as simpleminded as Karma knew that her scaly teacher wouldn't survive a direct attack from the bone crushing shell. But what could someone like her do – luck couldn't help her in this situation. But think back to all the time Kisame had bravely endured on skill alone, Karma knew there was still one option left. Torta had completed his final turn and rocket towards his hated adversary, who fruitlessly attempted to use the Samehada to throw him off once again. Whether this would have worked or not, the Monster of the Mist never found out. Before Kisame knew what happened, Karma jumped out of nowhere and tackled against his shoulder, throwing him sideways into the raging waters at the base of the fall. The Mist Swordsman sputtered and coughed surprisingly until he forced himself out of the current, gazing at the scene before him with wide eye of pure horror. Karma had deliberately thrown him aside, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to save herself. Torta's shell connected with Karma's ribcage and thrusted her back into the rock wall behind them with enough force to form a spiderweb pattern into the stone. The Phantom of the Mist felt strangely satisfied despite missing his chance at vengeance, but nonetheless retracted his limbs from his shell and watched as the Goddess of Fate slumped to the ground.

"Finally..." Torta chuckled malevolently. "A little payback goes a long way."

Kisame Hoshigaki found a second wind and forced himself to stand, craning his head to check on Karma's condition. But Torta decided to save him the trouble and stepped to the side – Kisame really wished he didn't. The happy-go-luck blond was sitting aimlessly against the wall with her head lolling over her left shoulder with her eyes staring blankly into space. A small thread of crimson liquid was escaping the side of her lips and dripping on the white fabric of her personally tailors Akatsuki cloak.

"No..." Kisame said defeated. "Please...Karma...please don't be dead. PLEASE!"

But the Goddess of Fate never answered – Kisame felt a rush of cold in his chest.

* * *

**A Fate that has defied death now faces it head-on. Has Karma's luck finally run out? Will Kisame seek out revenge for his fallen companion? And will Jewel track down Rush in time to stop him from making a grave mistake? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	17. Settling the Score, Part 2

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Naruto © Kishimoto

**Note: This is my make-it-or-break-it chapter. The future of this story depends on your opinions.**

Chapter Sixteen: Settling the Score, Part 2

The scenery reopens to the eastern region only a few miles away from the heart of the Kokiri Forest, under the thunderous roar of the towering waterfall. Nestle at the base of the mountainous area was a scene of tragedy for the heroes, but a sign of victory for the Sword Lords. The Ghost of the Hidden Mist stood satisfactory above the limp form of the Akatsuki's youngest and most energetic member. After suffering a critical blow to the chest, Karma's body sat motionlessly against the cliff wall with her eyes unfocused and a sliver of blood trailing from the corner of her mouth, dripping on her white cloak. Kisame was kneeling in the steam, leaning against the Samehada for support. Seeing someone as hyper as Karma sit in one place for a second seem almost impossible – Kisame hand curled tighter.

"Karma…" Kisame murmured.

"So that's all it takes to bring the great Kisame Hoshigaki to his knees." Torta snorted disdainfully. "Pathetic. You've killed your own parents, slaughtered your classmates, and even killed a daimyo from another country. You never wept for them. And yet, with this little girl, your tough exterior finally cracks. That only proves you cared for her more than the suffering of others."

"I keep telling you I've change." Kisame stated solemnly, slowly bringing himself to his feet. "How many times do I need to tell you that I am not the same monster you knew back then? The leader…he changed me…like he changes everyone."

"Apologizing won't bring back my family, or home, or my eye." Torta hissed, pointed to his stitched socket in emphasis. "Forgiving you won't bring back the last twenty-six year of my life I lost. The way I see it, you're still the same cold-hearted bastard that destroys everything just for the fun of it."

Kisame didn't respond to the insult and narrowed his eyes at the enraged tortoise. No matter which way he saw it, Torta was unwilling to listen to reason – he was consumed by revenge. Another one falls to the cold darkness of vengeance, Kisame thought to himself. His eyes fell on his fallen protégée and a fresh wave of sorrow stabbed against his chest. Kisame made the choice to end Torta's life – not for revenge, but to protect others from the same fate. The Monster of the Hidden Mist turned the Samehada in his hand and stabbed the tip into the dirt beneath the water before reaching for the clasps in his cloak. One by one, the demon shark remove the fastenings to his signature attire and gripped his shoulder after the last one had been released, throwing the dark cloth to the trees. Torta positioned himself in a defensive stance as the Mist Swordsman raised in only working arm to form a hand sign.

"I'm done trying to convince you." Kisame said dangerously. At a rate Torta couldn't even follow, the demon shark performed a series of rapid hand signs. "**Water Release: Water Shark Missile Jutsu!**"

All of a sudden, the thundering waterfall was part directly down the middle as a sapphire-blue shark the size of a house ripped through the rushing waves. Torta jumped away to safety as the water shark crashed into the rocky shoreline – Karma's corpse was thankfully avoided. For a short-lived moment, the Ghost of the Hidden Mist believed himself to be safe enough for a counterattack. But he was forgetting who he was dealing with. At the moment the large water shark exploded against the shoreline, five small versions of the aquatic beast jumped into the air. The shelled Sword Lord swiftly swiped his faithful weapon, Baruzil, to eliminate two of the aquatic predators from the game. However, the remaining three sharks charged directly behind their fallen brethren, aiming for Torta's blind spot. Without a second's hesitation, the defensive warrior withdrew his limbs safely into the depths of his shell. Torta waited and endured as the water sharks collided with his tough exterior at three different points, but none had been able to breach his defenses.

"How foolish…" Torta murmured to himself. "Kisame Hoshigaki was the most gifted of all the Seven Mist Swordsmen, born with an unusually large amount of Chakra. Added to the Samehada, which has the power to drain chakra from his opponents, he could easily match the power of the Jinchuuriki. But even still, that's not enough to break my shell."

"That's not entirely true."

Unbeknownst to the Ghost of the Hidden Mist, Kisame had propelled himself into the air shortly follow the shark frenzy technique he created. Once forcing the rogue tortoise to seek refuge in his shell, the demon shark dived back to the Earth with the Samehada crossed over his shoulder. The ground beneath the motionless Torta fragmented with visible destruction as Kisame's sword made contact with Torta's ultimate defense. But unlike previous times, the Sword Lord's defense proved powerless. His crimson-red shell vibrated with an audible crack followed by a broken spider-web pattern forming across the surface. The Ghost of the Mist emerged from his protective barrier, gasping hoarsely and leaning his head forward to discard the pool of blood flooding his throat. Kisame effortlessly jumped a few feet back for safety as the injured tortoise made a desperate swing for safety.

"Wh-what…" Torta coughed heavily. "Ho–ow di–id you bre-ak my…"

"Let me save you the trouble of finishing that sentence." Kisame said darkly. "Earlier in the fight, I noticed that while you were hiding inside your shell, you were always moving to avoid direct attacks. But when you attacked Karma, you crashed into the wall hard."

"What does that…" Torta panted tiredly. "Have to do with anything."

"When you are moving, you use the momentum to increase the resistance in your defense." Kisame explained logically. "But when you attacked Karma, you movement rate was critically decreased. That was before you made contact with the rocks. After recollecting myself, I noticed that one of your scales had broken off. That when I discovered a weakness in your defense."

"A weakness." Torta repeated confused.

"You need to keep moving in order in increase your endurance." Kisame answered. "But when you're idle in one place, your shell is as soft as a snake's egg."

"Then I guess I better keep moving." Torta hissed.

Though he was critically injured, the Ghost of the Hidden Mist stabbed Baruzil to the sky, calling a serpent of water from the river. Kisame perform another series of single-handed seal – the Samehada used its spikes to latch to its master – and created another water shark missile. The water easily devoured the sea serpent with a single snap of its jaws, diving for the Sword Lord that summoned it. But Torta took his rival's words to heart. Having already withdrawn himself once again into his damaged shell, the Ghost of the Hidden Mist spiral into place and endured the full force of the water beast. Though it twinged painfully due of the crack in his defenses, the active motion increased the strength of his shell. Torta chuckled malevolently.

"I must thank you, Kisame Hoshigaki." Torta snickered. "You spotted the only flaw in my absolute defense and gave me the perfect answer to eliminating it. I'll be sure to keep it handy."

"Always willing to help." Kisame smiled mockingly.

"Laugh now, Hoshigaki." Torta said venomously. "Because in a few seconds, that will be the last sound you will ever make!"

"Where have I heard that before?" Kisame stated sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Growling from the depths of his shell, the defensive tortoise increased the rate of his spinning motion, making himself appear as a crimson whirlpool. Kisame knew Torta well enough by now and cautiously reached over his shoulder to grasp the handle of his faithful sword – the Samehada withdrew its spikes. As was to be expected, the vengeful Sword Lord rocketed himself in a specific direction, but in the one opposite of his intended target. Torta had flung himself bodily backwards into the trees, most likely rebounding against the trees judging from the shaking motions of the canopy. Kisame understood what he was doing. By rebounding through the forest, Torta was increasing his momentum and his overall resistance. With barely a moment of time to react, the Monster of the Hidden Mist poised his trusted sword as a shield between him and the cyclone tortoise flying through the air. Torta's shell managed to rebound against the shark skin of the blade exposed through the bandages, though a sharp hiss in the air indicated his immediate seizure of pain. Kisame did notice something particular about his opponent after the initial attack: he was slowing down.

"_His open wound prevents his from attack at full force._" Kisame theorized. "_If he moves too fast, he's risks damaging the nervous system connecting from his shell to his skin. This is almost too easy._"

Taking advantage of Torta's defect, Kisame nestled the Samehada at the crook of his shoulder while watching the vengeful turtle fling himself back into the forest. The shrugging branches gave a clear indication of Torta's movements and the Monster of the Hidden Mist predicted his next move. The Sword Lord would be attacking from the left side – Kisame's blind spot. And as he had expected, a saucer of crimson-red snapped through the treetops and hovered over the Mist Swordsman's head by a few inches. Grinning to himself, Kisame ducked his head and stepped backwards, putting him directly behind Torta with a perfect view of his cracked shell. The Monster of the Hidden Mist lifted the Samehada off of his shoulder, using his forward momentum to strike down for a critical blow. But victories are never given that easy. Unexpectedly, the spiraling shell halt in midair and the tortoise inside exposed himself with a harsh growl. Torta had the element of surprise and grappled both of Kisame's wrists while closing his powerful jaw muscles over the swordsman's right shoulder. The sudden sneak attack not wounded Kisame's only useful limb, but it also forced him to drop the Samehada in the stream.

"Ugh! You sneaky son of a bitch!" Kisame sneered painfully. "You were expecting me to do that!"

"You're not the only one who learns, Hoshigaki." Torta proclaimed; his voice was muffled by the demon's shark's shoulder. "I knew you were looking to use my weakness to give you an edge, so I gave it to you. And when you left yourself open to attack, that was the perfect moments to go for the kill."

"You'll have to wait a bit for your victory." Kisame said confidently.

"What can you do?" Torta questioned. "I have you completely pinned down."

"Do you?" Kisame laughed.

The vengeful tortoise was genuinely confused. Why was he being so cocky when he couldn't move and his muscles was about to be ripped out by the jaws of the turtles? But there was something strange in that mentioning. Torta's mouth had sunken deep enough to draw blood, but it didn't taste like the life liquid he had become accustom to. No, it tasted vaguely like….

"Water?" Torta said confused. Looking over the demon shark, the wound on his should was release a waterfall of crystal clear liquid. A moment following, the Mist Swordsman was completely reduced to a puddle. "A water clone! But when did he…? Wait a minute."

* * *

-_**Flashback**__-_

"I'm done trying to convince you." Kisame said dangerously. At a rate Torta couldn't even follow, the demon shark performed a series of rapid hand signs. "**Water Release: Water Shark Missile Jutsu!**"

All of a sudden, the thundering waterfall was part directly down the middle as a sapphire-blue shark the size of a house ripped through the rushing waves. Torta jumped away to safety as the water shark crashed into the rocky shoreline – Karma's corpse was thankfully avoided. For a short-lived moment, the Ghost of the Hidden Mist believed himself to be safe enough for a counterattack. But he was forgetting who he was dealing with. At the moment the large water shark exploded against the shoreline, five small versions of the aquatic beast jumped into the air. The shelled Sword Lord swiftly swiped his faithful weapon, Baruzil, to eliminate two of the aquatic predators from the game. However, the remaining three sharks charged directly behind their fallen brethren, aiming for Torta's blind spot. Without a second's hesitation, the defensive warrior withdrew his limbs safely into the depths of his shell. Torta waited and endured as the water sharks collided with his tough exterior at three different points, but none had been able to breach his defenses.

"**Back then…**" Torta thought vividly. "**He used that chance to make the switch**."

Meanwhile, Kisame was still hovering in midair while Torta was avoided the water shark. Using a quick series of seals, the demon shark expelled a small pool of water from his gullet, which reshaped into a perfect copy of himself.

_-__**End Flashback**__-_

* * *

"But if that was the clone, then where is…?" Torta continued.

A gentle rip entered his range of hearing. Looking back to the stream behind him, the Ghost of the Hidden Mist saw the Samehada…and Kisame emerging from beneath the shark skin. The Mist Swordsman carried a kunai in his right had with a deadly scowl as he dived ahead for the tortoise. Torta had managed to reach around and retrieve the Baruzil from its holster, but he was never given the chance to use it when one of Samehada's spikes stabbed at his hand. Torta's defenses were completely wide open and Kisame aimed the kunai tip to swipe across his opponent's throat. Falling back on only instinct, Torta leaned his head forward and used his face to take the hit – the stitch over his left eyes were snapped. Hissing furiously, the spiteful tortoise used his free hand to grab Kisame's wrist and fling him over his shoulder, separate the swordsman from the Samehada. The demon shark grunted repeatedly when rolling across the ground, stopping only when his back slammed into the rock wall near the waterfall. Kisame shook his head to relieve some of the dizziness in his head and looked up as Torta once again made his approach – his grip tightened over his kunai.

"You…are…really…annoying me!" Torta snarled hatefully. "I've had enough of these stupid little games! I'm going to kill you right here, right now!"

"Give it your best shot." Kisame challenged.

Roaring angrily, Torta pulled the Baruzil over his head and stampeded ahead as Kisame pulled his kunai protectively against his chest. In comparison to the two, the sword was definitely superior. It would take a miracle to survive. Ironically enough, a miracle appeared in the shape of a smooth rock under Torta's foot. The Ghost of the Hidden Mist was taken by surprised as he slipped on the smooth surface and plowed his face into the rocks just to the right of his intended target. And if it wasn't bad enough, one of the trees Torta attacked earlier toppled over without reason and dropped on the tortoise's back, pinning him to the ground.

"Wow, that's some bad luck." Kisame commented lightly; a sudden sense of realization crashed over him. "Hold on – bad luck?"

"Uh…my head."

His eyes wide and his mind processing the new information, the Monster of the Hidden Mist slowly turned his face, staring at the other side of the stream. Karma's lifeless form was moving, rubbing her forehead in a futile attempt to relieve herself of the painful migraine. While her cranium was still throbbing, the Goddess of Fate opened her eyes in a way that would seem like she was trying to adjust to the sunlight. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes before taking in the surroundings. She was in the middle of a forest, sitting under a loud waterfall, and her teacher was leaning across the stream with a stupefied expression.

"Hi, Mr. Fishy!" Karma waved cheerfully.

"Karma…" Kisame spoke flabbergasted. "I – we – but – how!"

The happy-go-lucky blond blinked twice in a confused manner until she remembered her last few moments on consciousness. Torta had crushed her body against the wall with such force that it seemed almost impossible for anyone to survive. Karma quickly unhooked her cloak and looked down. A large satchel she had been carrying under her cloak was lying against her stomach, directly over the area where the vengeful tortoise had struck. The curious female opened her bag, pouting when catching sight of the contents.

"Aw man! All the food is ruined!" Karma whined. "I was going to make roast pig and chow mein later!"

"I don't care if we eat worms for dinner." Kisame laughed in sweet relief. "I've said before and I'll say it again: You are one lucky bra…"

"Just die!"

Both members of Akatsuki had completely forgotten about Torta and snapped their attention back to the fight. The Ghost of the Hidden Mist had managed to shrug off the tree pinning him down and over shadowed his adversary with the Baruzil poised to stab. As Torta brought his weapon down, Kisame quickly flipped on his back – throwing the kunai away – and used his single hand to catch the blade by its edge. Any true swordsman knew that a sword couldn't cut through bone if the opponent was prepared and Kisame used this to his advantage. Trails of blood slipped through his fingers as the Monster of the Hidden Mist used all of his strength to hold Baruzil off. But because he could only use one hand, Kisame was at a great disadvantage. And most unfortunate for Karma, she only had the power to watch it play.

"Oh no, Mr. Fishy!" Karma screamed, pulling her hair wildly. "What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!"

But out of the corner of her eyes, Karma spotted a familiar shape beating against the rocks of the stream. The only questioned was, could she use it? Meanwhile, Kisame was reaching the end of his limit as the edge of the Baruzil moved closer to his blue skin.

"I've been waiting twenty-six years for this day." Torta snarled spitefully. "You're going to burn in hell for all of eternity."

"Maybe we can share a pit." Kisame joked defiantly.

"You are arrogant." Torta sneered. "You don't deserve to call yourself a swordsman. I promise, I will rip you apart – scale by scale – and hang your skeleton on my mantle."

"Leave Kisame-Sensei alone!" Karma yelled.

"Quiet, you little…"

But as the Ghost of the Hidden Mist turned to continue his verbal assault, his voice was suddenly caught in his throat. The impossible had occurred. Karma was stand directly behind the tortoise, struggling to carry the weight of the Samehada on her shoulder without suffering the negative drawback that came with the sword. The Samehada accepted her touch. So using her momentum to carry the sword, Karma lashed at the stunned Sword Lord and swiped the Samehada across his throat. The last thing Torta knew, he was just a severed head flying across the air.

"Im…poss…" Torta said before becoming silent.

The tortoise skull plopped into the river with splash, being taken away by the drifting waters. The remaining parts of the deceased Sword Lord fell forward, which Kisame pushed aside. The Monster of the Mist allowed himself to breath with sweet relief as she slowly sat properly, looking over the true victor of this bout. The happy-go-lucky blond steadily lowered the Samehada to the ground, though she was still shaking herself. Kisame knew Karma's type. This was her first kill and she wasn't accustomed to taking the life of another – she was too innocent. Groaning and scratched the back of his head hesitantly, the Mist Swordsman reached out to grab his protégé's shoulder before steadily guiding her into his arms. Once being assured that her teacher wouldn't belittle her, Karma wept openly on his shoulder.

"I was so scared!" Karma cried loudly. "I-I-I just…and he…"

"It's all right." Kisame said soothingly. "I know it's not easy for someone like you to kill, but you did save my life. Your will not be judged for taking someone's life if you did it to save another."

"I won't let anyone hurt you." Karma said with a teary smile. "You're my Mr. Fishy and no one is taking you away!"

"Thanks kid." Kisame smirked, which quickly faltered. "And stop calling me that!"

* * *

After what seemed like days, the journey was finally coming to an end. Rush the Hedgehog had finally arrived in the heart of the Kokiri forest under the shadow of the Great Deku Tree. Just by looking at it, there was no question how the thing got its name. The singular tree was eight times taller than that of a normal tree and its tree was a hundred times thicker. The truck itself seemed to have been carved into the facial expression of an old man, possibly by the ancient tribe that had once wondered these woods. But the Great Deku Tree was bare of any leaves and the wood was turned to a deathly grey color – this tree has been dead for several years, maybe centuries. But Rush wasn't at all concerned for the passing of such a great monument – he had more important things to worry about. The sun was at the peak of the evening, meaning it was already noon.

"That only gives me four hours to work with." Rush said seriously. Stepping out into the open, the twin-colored hedgehog searched the area and called out. "Maido! I'm here! Show yourself!"

"As you wish."

Without proper warning, a blur of black dropped from the highest branches of the Great Deku Tree like a missile, landing carefully at the base of the elder tree. Maido the Cerberus – though suffering from two losses – looked to have been preparing for this moment for a long time. With the Flarus strapped to his back and his teeth looking more threatening than his blade, the Guardian of Hell cracked his neck – loud pops echoed in the silent area.

"Are you ready for this, little rodent?" Maido questioned sophisticatedly. "We've been waiting for this moment all day. The final conflict between good and evil."

"I've always wanted to be the hero." Rush said as he moved into his stance; his eyes narrowed. "But the conditions are what I was hoping for."

"Things never turn out as planned." Maido proclaimed coolly, silently withdraw his blade. "But I suppose that it was fate that brought us to meet here. I must say, I did want the advantage of have my extra lives handy."

"There's only one thing I want." Rush stated certainly.

"Then that only leaves one question." Maido said calmly. "Are you strong enough to take it?"

* * *

**Rush now come face-to-face with his first great opponent! Will the hedgehog prove a match against the leader of the Seven Sword Lords? Will the others locate Rush in time to help? Or will Naga have the last laugh? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	18. Spark, Part 1

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Note: Last three chapters of the Sword Lord Arc

Chapter Seventeen: Spark, Part 1

The scenery returns to the Kokiri Forest, which was deathly silently for some strange reason. The air was thick with tension originating from the Great Deku Tree in the heart of the forest. To anyone who understood the situation, this could only mean that Rush and Maido have finally come face-to-face. And judging by the cold atmosphere surrounding them, they were going for the kill. Jewel's instinctive senses must have clued in on the situation as the feminine warrior was seen pushing through the brambling bushes and heavy tree trunks with her family's Shovel Claws in hand. The white echidna swiped her claws against a particularly thick tree and toppled the towering plant-life with minimal effort. However, Jewel forced herself to stop for a short moment and took in a deep breathe of air. Her animalistic senses told her she was close to Rush and Maido, but they didn't provide an answer on their exact location. She had lost her lead.

"Great, I've been walking for an hour and I still have no idea where I am." Jewel muttered irritably, leaning her back against a tree to the right side. "I could be walking around in circles and I wouldn't even know it." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, wondering what to do next. And as she slowly cracked her eyes open, she couldn't refrain from giving an audible gasp. "Wait a minute….Is that…?"

The feminine warrior sharply stepped away from the tree and stared up at one of the lower branches. A necklace of bright-colored seashells was hanging loftily at the edge of the tree's limb. She knew it belonged to Rush and that he would never leave it behind because it was a gift from his little sister. The hedgehog must not have realized that he left it behind, but it was the only clue Jewel had to finding him. The white-furred echidna reached up for the colorful necklace, standing on her toes, when…

"Hey, paws off!" Jewel nearly jumped when a feisty chipmunk jumped out of nowhere and swiped the necklace away. "It's mine – finder's keepers!"

"That doesn't belong to you." Jewel proclaimed agitatedly. "That belongs to a friend of mine. His name is Rush the Hedgehog."

"A hedgehog you say." A second chipmunk said intrigued. "Was he about your size? Blue fur with red-tipped quills? Looked like he had just been pummeled recently?"

"That's him all right." Jewel replied, laughing at the last part.

"We saw him." A third one said, jumping into view. "He went…"

"Don't tell her!" The leader snapped, crossing his arms in a defiant manner. "Listen, sister, if you wanna find your boyfriend, you're gonna…."

The scrappy little chipmunk soon found himself unable to speak properly as Jewel's fist closed over his feeble little body. The feminine warrior dragged the irritable rodent out of the safety of his tree, bringing down Rush's necklace with him. The tiny rodent struggled to break free for a short while until he looked straight into Jewel's flaming, evil eyes – the chipmunk gulped fearfully.

"Listen up, ferret." Jewel hissed. "Either you tell me where he went or we'll see how high that squeaky little voice of yours can go."

* * *

While the rest of the Kokiri Forest felt the cold tension from the meeting of two enemies, Rush could only sense the heat of battle while staring down at the malevolent Sword Lord. The twin-colored hedgehog had struggled long and hard to make it this far and now he was going to finish what he started. Maido the Cerberus – though suffering from two losses – looked to have been preparing for this moment for a long time. With the Flarus strapped to his back and his teeth looking more threatening than his blade, the Guardian of Hell cracked his neck – loud pops echoed in the silent area.

"Are you ready for this, little rodent?" Maido questioned sophisticatedly. "We've been leading up to this moment all day. The final conflict between good and evil."

"I've always wanted to be the hero." Rush said as he moved into his stance; his eyes narrowed. "But the conditions are what I was hoping for."

"Things never turn out as planned." Maido proclaimed coolly, silently withdraw his blade. "But I suppose that it was fate that brought us to meet here. I must say, I did want the advantage of have my extra lives handy."

"There's only one thing I want." Rush stated certainly.

"Then that only leaves one question." Maido said calmly. "Are you strong enough to take it?"

Rush didn't bother with a sarcastic remark or a witty joke – an obvious sign that he was serious. Maido felt an overwhelming sense of pride knowing that he was getting under the hedgehog's skin. The single-headed Cerberus casually took a step to his right side, noting that Rush was following the same move. Smirking devilishly, Maido shuffled around the dying grass with the preteen hedgehog matching his pattern, forming a full circle between them. It was a basic tactic – wait until the opponent makes the first move before striking back. It was painfully obvious that Rush didn't know that the strategy rarely works, which Maido planned to take full advantage of. The Guardian of Hell turned the Flarus in his hand to a position for stabbing, ready to make the first charge, when…

"There's something I wanna know before we start." Rush sad suddenly; Maido raised his brow in confusion. "You already told me that you were the Cerberus created to guard Hell, banished by the Council of Death for your crimes, and became a member of the Seven Swords Lords. But that's the part I don't understand."

"Which part?" Maido questioned curiously.

"The part about being a Sword Lord." Rush answered; His eyes were looking away from the demon. "Kisame already told me that you're not the leader of the Seven Sword Lord, that someone else founded them and brought you in. But what I want to know is how you became a Sword Lord? How did Torta and Stratus become Sword Lords?"

"That's what's been bothering you." Maido spoke inquisitively. "Well, I suppose it is understandable. But don't take me for a fool – I know you're trying to delay me so you can find some way to take advantage of the situation."

"Then if you already know my plan, you can stop me, right?" Rush said confidently.

"Cheeky little boy." Maido chuckled. "It's true; I am not the leader of the Seven Sword Lords. A woman by the name of Reace the Doe was the true leader."

"Was?" Rush repeated questionably. "As in past tense?"

"You catch on fast." Maido nodded. "I was the fourth member to be drafted into the Sword Lords. Reace discovered me hiding in a cave after I was banished to the mortal realm – a mindless beast that only knew how to feed. With her…unique abilities, Reace managed to twist my subconscious until I regained sanity. In return for retaining my mind, she requested that only join her organization for her purposes."

"What purposes?" Rush asked cluelessly.

"Power." Maido responded shortly. "Reace was an ambitious character and loved to flaunt her power, to watch the fearful expressions of his victims before silencing them. She was already powerful enough and creating a mercenary group under her full control would only expand reputation. She was the one that manipulated Stratus' innocence to our advantage and she didn't really need to convince Torta – his thirst for vengeance was enough. Together, we became one of the most feared mercenary group, rivalry only Akatsuki."

"But something went wrong." Rush said bluntly.

"No one knows how it happened." Maido said lowly. "But somehow, Reace's powers backfired and left her a shell of her former self. With our leader incapacitated, I saw my chance to take the Seven Sword Lords for my own. But as you already know, things don't go as planned."

"What happened?" Rush continued; his eyes darted to a weak branch above. "How come I've never heard of the Seven Sword Lords before?"

"Because our organization lasted only three years before Reace was subdued." Maido explained, curious at the hedgehog's endless barrage of questions. "When I tried to take command, Kara went back to her homeland and Kuanga and Feral disappeared without a trace. Since then, it's just been me, Torta, and Stratus slowly rebuilding what we lost."

"That's a nice little bed time story." Rush said jokingly; Maido looked stunned. "You should share it some other time."

With a wide grin on his face, the twin-colored hedgehog tossed a small rock off the ground with his foot and used a spinning kick to rocket the stone into the air. Maido's curiosity got the better of him as he followed the stone's path until it made contact with one of the Great Deku Tree's dead branches. Ominous creaking wasn't a good sign. With a sudden yelp of surprise, the Guardian of Hell jumped back by twenty feet before the branch broke off from the main base of the tree and landed in the same place where he once stood. Because the branch was old and withered with age, the fragile limb broke apart instantly upon contact with the ground, scattering thousands of wood fragments flying in every direction. Maido sharply raised the Flarus like a shield against his body, deflecting a wide majority of the flying splinters. Only two managed to breach his defense: One stabbing his right shoulder and one piercing his right kneecap. The Guardian of Hell waited for the before sanding – his muscles pushed the thorns out of his skin. As he would have expected, Rush had used the distraction for an opportunity to hide as the single-headed Cerberus couldn't trace him with his eyes. But that's where a heightened sense of smell came in handy. Sniffing through the different scents lingering in the air, it wasn't difficult to his prey. Turning sharply on his heels, the single-headed Cerberus stabbed Flarus in the air and shot a single fireball towards one of the longer branches of the Great Deku Tree. The wooden limb crackled and creaked before plummeting to the ground, sending another shower of splinters – Maido jumped away before he was caught in the debris.

"Childs play." Maido scoffed as he slowly approached the burning remains. "I think I might have burned him to death. Well, I did warn that slithering snake that I'm not good at keeping my prey alive."

"Then he won't be disappointed."

Maido jumped slightly and turned with his eyes wide with shock. Rush was unharmed as he came swinging around the trunk of the Great Deku Tree, clinging to the only sturdy vine available on the ancient monolith. The twin-colored hedgehog had the element of surprise and took the chance to swing around with both feet in front, pressing both heels into Maido's face. The Guardian of Hell was thrown off his feet with a pathetic, dog-like yelp and tumbled backwards until he landed on his stomach – the Flarus clanged loudly in a distance. Maido growled dangerously as he lifted himself to his elbows.

"You little brat." Maido snarled, pushing to his knees. "How did you get away? My nose told me you get escape when I unleashed Flarus' powers."

"The thing about a dog's nose is that they aren't always right." Rush smiled knowingly, raising his ungloved right hand. "I kinda got the idea from when you attacked Jewel back when we first met. You went after her because she had my smell on her."

"So you left your clothing behind to trick me." Maido acknowledged impressively, walking over to retrieve his sword. "Not bad, for a little brat that hasn't even reached puberty yet."

"Um…" Rush scratched his head embarrassingly. "Anyway…I've got some more questions for you."

"More questions." Maido sighed annoyed. "You know what they say: curiosity killed the cat."

"Good thing I'm not a cat then." Rush smirked defiantly. "You were talking about a slithering snake and my only guess can be that you're working for Naga."

"Aren't you a bright little boy?" Maido said sarcastically.

The Guardian of Hell offered no answer to his adversary and threw his head forward with a river of burning-red fire escaping from his throat. Quick on his feet like his father, the twin-colored hedgehog back flipped with stunning grace and landed on the trunk of the Great Deku Tree before kicking off. Flying over the sea of flames below, Rush curled himself into a tight ball of blue and red, shooting himself freely towards the ground with his family's signature homing attack. Maido was one of the better Sword Lords and swiped his flame-based weapon to make contact with the spinning, twin-colored sphere. But imagine the surprise he received when Rush merely bounced off the edge of the Flarus without a single scratch to show for it. Being thrown off his course, the twin-colored hedgehog uncurled and dropped to the ground on Maido's left side. Rush took advantage of Maido's lack of balance due to the deflection and throw his leg around for a clean sweep to the Cerberus' ankles. The single-headed Cerberus was swept off the ground and landed on his back with a heavy thud, but he did not relinquish the grip on Flarus. Unfortunately for him, Rush dashed over and planted both feet on Maido's wrists, preventing any movements in his arms. The Guardian of Hell squirmed under the pressure, but Rush was heavier than he looked – very strange.

"I wasn't done talking." Rush smirked confidently, kneeling closer to Maido's face. "As I was saying, I had a funny feeling that Naga might have been behind this whole thing, but I didn't really have proof until now. Thanks for the slip up."

"So what was it that gave it away?" Maido replied, deciding to play along for now. "The fact that I've been hunting you since you escaped his base, or that he sent you to find my corpse when he knew very well that I was still alive."

"Actually, it was before that." Rush stated with a serious look in his eyes. "Back when that monster attacked my little sister back home. My Uncle Jet told me about the Heartless and how the Babylonians unintentionally created them. My Grandpa Gale also told me that Naga became a Heartless himself after he died the first time. All I had to do was put two and two together."

"Knowing this…" Maido said slowly. "Knowing that ugly snake is the cause of your pain and suffering, you're still willing to go along with his plans."

"If Naga can save my sister, I'll hang myself if I have to." Rush proclaimed intensively, grabbing the Cerberus' forehead. "But there's just one thing I haven't completely figured out: why did he go to all the trouble to set this up? Why does he want me and you to fight so badly?"

"I could tell you, but I'd hate to spoil the surprise." Maido scoffed. Without warning, Rush's hand closed over the Cerberus' throat, preventing him from breathing properly. "All right! All right! Naga paid me to hunt you down and force you to release some hidden power that's being kept inside of you. He also paid extra to make sure I don't kill you."

"Hidden power?" Rush said confused, unknowingly releasing his hold. "What hidden power?"

"Like I would know." Maido responded.

Before the preteen hedgehog had a chance to counter, Maido threw his legs back to kick the hedgehog off. Rush rebounded off the ground once, but was able to catch himself and land properly on his feet. Not too soon. Pretty much by pure luck, narrowly avoided being skewered as the single-headed Cerberus stabbed Flarus ahead of him. But while Rush was focused on dodging the blade, he failed to notice when Maido delivered a strong left hook until it connected. The twin-colored hedgehog was sent spiraling to the ground and landed deliberately on his front. However, the pain in his jaw was nothing compared to the stinging sensation he was feeling in his left kneecap. How could he have forgotten? The dark-purple bruise he had received due to fall from a tree had now turned an unhealthy shade of pitch-black. And to make matters worse, he was starting to lose feeling in his leg. But as you may have predicted, this wasn't the end of it. While Rush had been distracted by the crisis with his injury, Maido stepped behind the preteen hedgehog and pressed his foot into his adversaries spine, forcing him face first into the dirt. The former Guardian of Hell was clear on never granting his victims any final words and hurriedly raised his weapon above for the final stroke before Rush could counteract. But that's exactly what he did. Before Maido could carry out the motion, the twin-colored hedgehog forced himself back into his ball form and began spinning in place, causing the Sword Lord to lose his footing. With the opportunity presented, Rush launched backwards with his father's Spin Dash technique directly into the Cerberus' jaw. A small drizzle of blood droplets painted the grass as Maido glided over for five feet with a waterfall of crimson liquid escaping his maw. The surprise attack had caused the Guardian of Hell to accidentally bite down on his own tongue. Maido landed roughly on the ground and slide across the bloodstained grass until being forced to stop by the Great Deku Tree's massive trunk. The Sword Lords weakness was shown by dropping his sword weakly at his side and leaning against the roots for some small sense of relief.

"You stupid little brat." Maido murmured with a raspy tone. "Maybe that scaled beast was right: he does get stronger with every defeat."

"Talking to yourself again." Rush laughed tauntingly, looming over the defeated swordsman. "You should really see a doctor about that. Or maybe a good psychiatrist – maybe you could join my mom's therapy group."

"Stop mocking me." Maido pleaded weakly. "Just kill me already."

"Naga said I only needed to bring back you body." Rush shrugged nonchalantly. "He never said it had to be dead or alive. And there's no way I'm going to stoop to your level."

"You are such an idiot." Maido chuckled silently. "It's careless mistakes like that which leads to disastrous consequences. Your sister is the perfect example of that."

"What're you talkin' 'bout." Rush questioned surprisingly.

"Working for Naga, I don't accept a job until I know every possible advantage." Maido smiled proudly, leaning his head forward. "It's quite amazing the things he knows. And more interestingly, how lethal you can be."

"Ok, now you lost me." Rush groaned.

"While I don't know much about your hidden power, I do have some insight." Maido explained collectively. "Apparently, you were born with a rare trait that makes you stronger than normal children your age, but you haven't learned to control yet. However, this power also has a negative effect. Having so much power in such a small space, its only natural that some of it would find a way to leak out. But when the energy flow escapes, it transforms into an invisible toxin that can't be traced unless by someone with in depth knowledge of Chaos Energies. Normally, it's harmless. But…"

"But what?" Rush asked fearfully.

"Your mother and father are impervious to the toxin because their immune systems are fully developed." Maido continued with a sadistic grin on his expression. "What about to someone who doesn't have that convenience? A child's body doesn't fully develop until after one year. So if you were close to someone whose body I not accustomed to such toxins, why the damage would be extensive and painful."

"This child…" Rush spoke slowly; his hands were shaking. "Are you talking about…?"

"That's right, Rush the Hedgehog." Maido snickered menacingly. "You were there when you baby sister was born and you clearly spent a lot of time together during the first year. Thanks to your close contact, your sister was hit with an overloaded dose of Chaos poisoning. You are the one who infected your sister – you are the reason she is dying."

Everything else was blocked out from that moment forward. Rush was looking down on the ground, not even knowing what he was looking for. The stunning revelation struck a low blow to the twin-colored hedgehog's morality. He was the one that forced his dearly beloved sister to such a weakened state. All these years, he believed himself to show nothing but endless love and compassion to his only sibling – that he was making life better for her. But in reality, he was the one destroying it. Did Sonic or Amy know? They couldn't have – they wouldn't let him stay if they knew he was the cause of this tragedy. But he was their only son and they weren't just gonna throw him away despite his mistakes. Endless questions filtered through the preteen's brain and not a single answer came to him. The outside world was lost to him, which was really bad timing as the single-headed Cerberus cautiously positioned himself to stand with the Flarus in his hand. It was apparent that he was feinting weakness just to reveal his final hand. Maido grinned darkly while tapping the edge of his sword on his shoulder.

"Naga said I needed to keep you alive." Maido stated; Rush couldn't hear him. "But what that slippery snake doesn't know won't hurt him."

The single-headed Cerberus slowly lowered the edge of the Flarus until it tapped against the back of Rush's neck. Because of his distraught position, the twin-colored hedgehog didn't even feel the cold metal pressing against his skin. This was too easy. Sharply reeling his hand back, Maido dropped the Flarus down with full force. And, you guessed it, he was saved. At the very last moment, a blur of white jumped out of the bushes and forced the two enemies away from one another. Rush was shoved to the ground after a swift punch to the back of his head and Maido skidded backwards a few feet after a strong kick to his chest. Stroking his abdomen tenderly, the Cerberus' eyes narrowed dangerously at the echidna standing between him and his prey.

"Wasn't Stratus and Torta supposed to keep you busy?" Maido sneered.

"You might wanna consider hiring better henchmen." Jewel scoffed superiorly before turning back to the hedgehog. "And what the hell's up with you. Last time I saw you, you were itching for a chance to clobber this guy?"

"How'd you find me?" Rush questioned softly; His seashell necklace landed in front of him.

"You're not exactly the hardest guy to find." Jewel proclaimed. "I also had a little help from two rats and a eunuch." The males shuddered simultaneously for a moment. "Now get your lazy ass up and lets slug this guy already."

"What does it matter?" Rush said hopelessly. "Everything is my fault anyway."

"Ok, this is weird." Jewel muttered with her brow raised. "What happed to that cocky, upbeat attitude?"

"It died along with his spirit." Maido answered victoriously. "I have to admit that I didn't expect any interference, but in a way, I guess I should be thankful. Flarus has been cooped up for so long and I'm no longer strong enough to continue fighting in the First Stage."

"What are you yammerin' on about?" Jewel snapped impatiently.

"As you already know, each of the swords owned by the Seven Sword Lords is unique." Maido explained. "They enhance our natural abilities and they one accept one as their master. But there is another secret. Each of the swords has three stages of power, each one more deadly than the last. As you may have notice, Torta, Stratus, and I have all been fighting with our swords in the first stage."

"That means you have two more!" Jewel shouted in realization.

"Precisely." Maido cackled wickedly; a flaming-red aura became visible around his body. "You should feel honored. It's been three years since I've had the pleasure of unleashing the Flarus' second stage. Just try not to die too quickly."

Jewel stepped back slightly, feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount of Chaos Energy the Guardian of Hell was presenting. With Maido getting stronger with every second and Rush unable to fight, Jewel was starting to regret ever leaving Angel Island.

"If I die, I'm gonna kill you, Rush." Jewel muttered dully.

* * *

**More power and bigger danger await the younger generation. Will Jewel be able to stand alone against the Flarus' second stage? Will Rush be able to pull himself together to help? Or will Maido succeed in his slaughter? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	19. Spark, Part 2

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Note: Last two chapters of the Sword Lord Arc

Chapter Eighteen: Spark, Part 2

The scene reopens under the shadow of the former Great Deku Tree in the here of the extensive Kokiri Forest. Any form of wildlife that may have staggered behind during the fight would have cleared out from the threatening atmosphere given off by the Guardian of Hell. Maido the Cerberus stood across from him adversaries with his signature blade – Flarus – stabbed into the ground, presenting a flaming-red aura around his already impressive stature. Across from him, Jewel the Echidna positioned herself defensively with her hands closed, pushing her spiked knuckles outwards. The feminine warrior felt confident in her own survival, but it was Rush that she was more concerned about. The twin-colored hedgehog was on his hands and knees, staring at the ground as if hoping that it would open and swallow him up. Her guess wasn't that far off.

"_I did it…_" Rush thought shamefully. "_It's all my fault._"

It was only five minute ago that Rush learned the truth of his sister's condition, but the memory perpetually haunted him, serving as a reminder of his unintentional evil.

* * *

-_Flashback-_

"While I don't know much about your hidden power, I do have some insight." Maido explained collectively. "Apparently, you were born with a rare trait that makes you stronger than normal children your age, but you haven't learned to control yet. However, this power also has a negative effect. Having so much power in such a small space, it's only natural that some of it would find a way to leak out. But when the energy flow escapes, it transforms into an invisible toxin that can't be traced unless by someone with in depth knowledge of Chaos Energies. Normally, it's harmless. But…"

"But what?" Rush asked fearfully.

"Your mother and father are impervious to the toxin because their immune systems are fully developed." Maido continued with a sadistic grin on his expression. "What about to someone who doesn't have that convenience? A child's body doesn't fully develop until after one year. So if you were close to someone whose body I not accustomed to such toxins, why the damage would be extensive and painful."

"This child…" Rush spoke slowly; his hands were shaking. "Are you talking about…?"

"That's right, Rush the Hedgehog." Maido snickered menacingly. "You were there when you baby sister was born and you clearly spent a lot of time together during the first year. Thanks to your close contact, your sister was hit with an overloaded dose of Chaos poisoning. You are the one who infected your sister – you are the reason she is dying."

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

"_It's all my fault._" Rush grimaced at the thought. "_I deserve to die._"

"Uh…Rush." Jewel muttered insistently. "Do you think you're going to get up anytime soon? In case you've forgotten, there a psychopathic lunatic with a glowing sword trying to kill us!"

"Let him do it." Rush said in a defeated tone. "I deserve it."

"Oh great, he's going emo." Jewel groaned, holding her face in her palm. "For once, can I have a partner who isn't emotionally sensitive?"

"This is too perfect." Maido spoke darkly, more to his sword than anyone else. "Together, we can destroy the meddlesome hedgehog that has given us much grievance and I can finish what I started with the echidna." There was a pregnant pause of silence. "Yes, it has been a long time, hasn't it? But your wait has finally come to an end. It's time to awaken – return to me, my darling Flarus."

Ushered by his words, the glow that surrounded the demonic Sword Lord crawled across the hound's skin and descended into the base of the Flarus. The menacing atmosphere remained around the flame-based sword even after its wielder stepped away as if expecting it to come alive. These days, anything can happen. Much to Jewel and even the depressive Rush's shock, the steel of the blade inherited a fleshy appearance and contorted its build into a more animalistic characteristics. Right before their eyes, the four curved points of the blade became the feet, the tip of the sword snapped into tail, and the base served as the head. The white-furred echidna unconsciously staggered backwards by a few steps, still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of a lifeless weapon coming to life.

"Ah, Flarus…" Maido said soothingly; he kneeled down and stroke the creatures chin. "Still as radiant as I remember."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, dear." The sword beast – Flarus – cooed in a feminine tone.

"Um…you saw that too, right?" Rush asked strangely to Jewel; the echidna nodded sharply. "Oh good! I'm not going crazy!"

That seemed to attract their attention as the Guardian of Hell and his former weapon turned solemnly in the direction of their prey. Now that they had a better look at Flarus, they could see that she was a salamander beast that reached only to Maido's knees in terms of height, but was twice the size in length. Her skin was crimson-red like her previous appearance with four three-toed feet, a whip-like tail, and black wire crown with a single ruby on her forehead. To add to her fire theme, perpetual jets of heat escaped through the six hole lined on her spine, coating her back in a layer of flames. Flarus crawled in a circle around her master's legs, leering amusing at their intended targets.

"Not that I am complaining or anything…" Flarus smiled playfully. "But I would have thought you would have killed these brats by now. You've already slaughter men twice their size without much difficulty."

"You know very well I could have killed them any time I wished." Maido replied in a dignified manner. "These children have only been lucky so far because they were always hiding behind the skirts of better people."

"We don't need any help kickin' your tails back to Hell!" Jewel screamed certainly.

"Yes, we do." Rush said bluntly; Jewel pounded him in the forehead. "OW! What'd I say?"

"I am so disappointed that you had to release me just to kill these two." Flarus said, crawling on her master's back and resting her head on his shoulders. "But I'm also grateful that I finally get a chance to stretch my legs and fight alongside you, my dear. Shall we finish them quickly?"

"No, make it last." Maido smirked superiorly. "I want to make them suffer."

"Slow and painful it is, then." Flarus said in a hushed tone.

While still clinging to the Cerberus's shoulders, the fire lizard brought herself up and glared at the preteen warriors that stood in their way. And for a short moment, the flames on her back died with columns of smokes escaping the holes – Jewel seemed uneasy. Flarus took in a deep breath before exhaling the flames that had secretly culminated in her throat. The heat wave spiraled across the clearing and Jewel tucked and rolled out of the way, dragging Rush with her when he refused to move. The echidna warrior nimbly jumped back to her feet while the twin-colored hedgehog fell flat on his face – he wasn't going to be much help. The fire salamander laughed mockingly as the flames on her back returned, sharing a meaningful gaze with her partner before looking back to the children. Deciding to draw attention away from her depressive comrade, Jewel staggered forward and charged abrasively with her fists raised on either side of her. Flarus leered at the female and extinguished two of the holes on her back, using the heat to expel five simultaneous balls of flame. But this didn't deter Jewel from her objective. The hot-headed echidna jumped left to avoid the first fireball and skipped left to avoid the second, pulling her head back to avoid a third flying over her head at the same time. The remaining two blazing spheres approached in a crisscross formation, making it more difficult for the female warrior to avoid. But Jewel took her chances and dived forward between the flying fireballs just as they began closing in over one another. It was very close, but the echidna female was able fly through the intersecting fireballs with only the heel of her left shoe being singed. Maido and Flarus blinked, glancing at one another.

"You've got to admit." Maido shrugged nonchalantly. "The girl has some skill."

"She just got lucky." Flarus scoffed as Jewel tumbled a few feet away.

"Sounds like someone's jealous." Maido said with a brow raised.

"I am not jealous!" Flarus snapped angrily.

"Hey!" The bickering duo snapped back to Jewel. "Are you two done acting like an old married couple? Cause I have a million places I would rather be than here."

"Such an impertinent child." Flarus scolded. "It would do us right to burn her to a crisp."

"Don't waste your breath on this lowly worm." Maido said soothingly, caressing the salamander's cheek. "Allow me to free your hands off this degenerate filth so you can move on to the real prize."

"You are always so sweet." Flarus smiled amorously.

Jewel stood firm with her fists raised in defense, but her disgusted expression was somewhat comical. The flaming salamander nuzzled her head against the black hellhound with her eyes closed with pleasure. Flarus slowly crawled off of her partner's back and dropped to the ground, but Jewel noticed that she seemed to linger around his pelvis area a second longer.

"I am now disturbed on a whole number of levels." Jewel said aloud.

"You hatchlings are all the same." Maido shook his head disappointedly. "A quick wit and you lea yourself down a road of self-destruction paved with arrogance."

Despite the inlayed insult, the white-furred echidna remained firmed and focused – she knew Maido's game. Since she was young, Jewel's mother had taught her the basics of deception and how to manipulate others to do the work for her. But when asking what kind of experience she had, her mother remained unnaturally silent for the rest of the day. But that's beside the point. Back to the battle, Maido had silently walked across the plain until he and the teenage echidna stood only three feet away from each other – the hellhound easily dwarfed her. Then quick as a flash, the Guardian of Hell swung his left leg to the back of Jewel's ankles and throwing his fist downwards shortly after. The white-furred echidna was caught by surprise by the sudden trip as she fell back, but threw out her hands just in time to catch Maido's secondary assault. Blocking off the Cerberus's attack, Jewel constricted her fingers around the hellhound's wrist and sharply tugged him forward. The sudden lurch threw Maido off his balance and began falling over his teenage opponent until Jewel pressed her heels into his abdomen. The white-furred echidna used his opponent's momentum to her advantage and completely threw him overhead, listening for when the hellhound hit the ground with his back. Jewel smiled proudly to herself with the following thud and kicked herself back to her feet as Maido flipped to his stomach.

"You are really starting to annoy me." Maido glared blandly.

"Get in line, pal." Jewel said confidently.

"You are really starting to burn me up."

The white-furred echidna snapped her focus over her shoulder, finding Flarus clinging to the bark of the Great Deku Tree with all her spinal holes extinguished. The crimson salamander released the thick wave of flames from her maw to Jewel's back, but the teenaged warrior already had the advantage. Jewel tucked and rolled to the side, effectively dodging the heat and redirecting the attack to Maido instead. And with the Guardian of Hell barely to his knees, it was impossible for him to move out of the way before the blaze devoured him.

"Did you really use a fire pun?" Jewel laughed insultingly, dusting the dirt off her shorts. "There is nothing worse than a villain that makes lame puns in the middle of a fight – except a hero, maybe. But either way, your plan backfired…" She stared with wide-eyes before facepalming herself. "Oh god, I'm starting to do it, too."

"You meddlesome little rodent!" Flarus hissed malevolently, jumping back to the grass with her flames ignited. "You should have learned to stay out of business that's not yours. You could have lived longer."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Jewel said sarcastically. "I'm not worried 'bout a two foot iguana in need of a breathe mint."

"You should be." The next thing she knew, a pair of strong arms slithered around her underarms and locked together behind her head. Noticing the mixed look of shock and humiliation, Maido couldn't resist chuckling. "Don't look so surprised. I was born in a magma pit, guarded a realm of flame and soot, and fought alongside Flarus for thirty years. Did you honestly believe a little heat would stop me?"

"Actually, I kinda did." Jewel admitted lowly.

"Hold her still, my dear." Flarus smiled maliciously. "This will be over quick."

Judging by the way the crimson salamander extinguished four of the flame holes on her spine, she was preparing for another large fireball. But just as the blaze reached to her throat, Jewel lifted her foot and pressed her heel into the lizard's jaw to keep in closed against the ground. The end result was somewhat comical as the fire was unable to escape its host and exploded in her stomach, causing it to expand and stacks of smoke breeched through the holes in her back. One down, one to go. Infuriated by the teenager's assault on his partner, Maido pulled Jewel's arms further back, listening for the bones to crack at an moment. However, Jewel momentarily swung up legs up and brought them back to the ground, using the momentum to hurtle the Guardian of Hell over her shoulders. Maido skidding against the grass for s few seconds and turned on his back, only to come face-to-face with the white-furred echidna female. Jewel was sitting on the hellhound's chest with her knees pinning his arms to the ground, giving her optimal circumstance to beat the mutt senseless. Two jabs to the eyes and a right hook to the face – knocking out a fang in the process – was the most damage should could accomplish before feeling a warm prick on the back of her neck. Making sure to careful step on Maido's face, the teenaged echidna dived out of the way as another column of heat passed over her former position, licking against the hellhound in the process. Not surprisingly, Maido emerged from the blaze unscathed with Flarus at his side as Jewel resumed her fighter's stance.

"Very impressive show, hatchling." Maido said, clapping in mock applause. "You certainly know how to keep your cool in the heat of…"

"Don't finish that sentence!" Jewel commanded. "The last thing this world needs is another villain with bad puns."

"She's got a point." Flarus said shamefully.

"That matter aside." Maido said, stroking his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Your skills and cleaver tactics are awfully advanced for someone so young – Possibly better than someone twice your age. You didn't learn those moves on your own; you were trained." He noticed Jewel's muscles tensing under her skin. "So I hit the mark, haven't I?"

"Like it matters." Jewel glared, strengthening her grip.

"She seems quite upset." Flarus commented smugly, crawling on Maido's back. "Did you have a falling out with your teacher? Who was it? An acquaintance? A friend? A member of your brood?" Jewel instinctively gritted her teeth. "Ah, having a little family trouble, are we, little one?"

"Your teacher must have been very close to you." Maido smirked cunningly; the teenager seemed on edge. "Who was it that broke your heart? Your father? Your mother? A sister…..a brother?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Jewel screamed with outrageous fury.

The Guardian of Hell smiled victoriously – he knew he touched a nerve. Driven by her rage, the teenage echidna charged forward with her fists being carried outwards, leaving her open directly down the middle. This was just what Maido was looking for. Just as Jewel began her approach, the hellhound nodded to Flarus on his shoulder, who extinguished two of the holes on her back. The fire salamander sprayed the blaze in a straight line between them and Jewel, causing the feminine warrior to stagger back from the heat. With this advantage, Maido pushed through the fire – unaffected by the blaze – and wrapped his fingers around Jewel's throat to lift her off the ground. The hellhound then proceeded slam her down with enough force to form a circular dent in the grass. Despite Jewel's continually kicking and snarling, her anger made her lose focus and was unable to direct her aggression properly. Maido chuckled lowly at her pathetic attempts and shot a meaningful gaze to his partner. Catching the hint, Flarus crawled further up the hellhound's back until she was standing over his head, leering down at the struggling teenager.

"Forgive me for saying this." Flarus smiled in an evil manner. "But you just got burned."

"That's so lame." Jewel grunted.

Flarus frowned. The crimson salamander extinguished all six of her flaming holes and expelled the blaze from her maw in the same instant as Maido released his hold. There was no chance that the white-furred warrior could have rolled out of the way in a split second and was covered entirely by the massive fireball.

"I her own words: One down, one to go." Maido snickered.

"I've been waiting a long time for this." Flarus said, licking her lips.

The Sword Lord duo turned their eyes away from the flaming mass that was formerly Jewel and shifted their gaze to their original target. Rush the Hedgehog was still on his hands and knees, staring down at the multi-colored seashell necklace that Jewel had returned earlier. He didn't even lift his eyes away once to check on the condition of his friend – he mind was still reeling over the fact of his own mistake. He didn't even raise his head when Maido and Flarus approached the grieving preteen, kneeling down with match sadistic smiles.

"The shock must still be taking its effect." Maido suggested cruelly, ruffling the hedgehog's quills. "Look at him: a pathetic shell of his former self. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually prefer him when he was an obnoxious brat."

"Leave him alone, dear." Flarus said, playfully smacking his shoulder. "Can't you see the boy is suffering? As concerned citizens, it's our duty to end his misery."

"It would only be merciful." Maido nodded.

The Guardian of Hell lifted himself to full height and stood back as his salamander partner extinguished all six of the flaming holes on her back. The twin-colored hedgehog was finally snapped back to the world of reality when the thought of his own demise processes through his brain. Rush calmly blinked and craned his head back, looking between the confident Maido and the open-mouthed Flarus with flames collecting in her throat. Rush lowered his head and sighed in defeat.

"Well, at least I can finally make up for my mistakes." Rush said lowly.

"Like hell you will!"

Rush's head snapped up in attention. Without the notice of the twin-colored hedgehog or the duo Sword Lords, the ground beneath Rush began to crack until it caved in completely. Flarus dissolved the flames in her body back to their original positions and Maido looked stupefied down the dark hole.

"Uh…What just happened?" Flarus blinked cluelessly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rush was tumbling back and forth through the collapsed tunnel, which seemed to go below the roots of the Great Deku Tree. After bumping between dirt and loose rocks, the twin-colored finally landed in an underground den, tripping forward and landing his face in the dirt. Scrubbing his mouth clean of dirt and worms, curiously stared at his surroundings to notice that the area seemed to have recently been built judging by the cracks on the ceiling. And he found who made it right away. Jewel the Echidna was leaning against the far end of the den – everything from the left side of her face to her left arm was charcoal-black. She was holding the Shovel Claws in her hands, explaining how she was able to dig her way around so quickly.

"Are you ok?" Rush asked worried, moving close to her. "Does it hurt?"

"Not so much." Jewel grimaced, wincing when shifting her weight. "But what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you giving up without putting up a fight?"

What's the point of fighting something I caused?" Rush murmured, lowering his eyes sadly. "It's my fault that Alina was sick in the first place and it's my fault that you had to get involved in this adventure."

"But Alina can still be saved." Jewel reasoned, trying – and failing – to smile. "And don't tell this to anyone, but I want to thank you for dragging me away from Angel Island with you. Not only did I get one hell of a workout…but I also made a few friends along the way." She seemed rather hesitant, but Jewel gave a brief kiss to the hedgehog's cheek. "Thanks"

"Well, at least I did one thing right." Rush said embarrassingly. "But even if we manage to beat ugly and get the antidote from snake face, Alina's going to hate me when she finds out I'm the one that poisoned…" Before he could finish, Rush was forced to double over in pain when Jewel drilled her fist into his stomach. "What was that for?"

"Just when I was starting to like you." Jewel said in disgust.

"What?" Rush questioned confused.

"You spent your whole life with your sister, but you don't know a thing about her." Jewel scoffed, tossing her dreadlocks out of her face. "Your little sister looks up to you – you're a real hero to her. If you ever gave up, it would devastate her." She slowly began to lose focus of the hedgehog in front of her. "You say you love her and promise to always be there for her until one day you betray your family's trust and leave your little sister holding her bleeding father as you fly away!"

A thick layer of tension fell over the underground den. Rush was smart enough to know that what started out as a relation to his sister somehow connected to Jewel's unknown past. For the first time in his life, the hedgehog actually witnessed his strongest rival…crying. Whatever happened to her, it hit her hard. Slowly and careful not to touch her burns, Rush wrapped a single arm around her shoulders.

"Is…that what happened to you?" Rush asked cautiously, not really expecting an answer.

"I loved my big brother so much." Jewel sniffed, wiping her eyes with her hand. "When he left, I felt like a part of me had died inside and I never trusted anyone again." She turned her head and shared a meaningful gaze with the hedgehog. "Listen to me carefully, Rush. If Alina is anything like me, she could never hate you. Even if she found out that you cause her disease, she'll still love you knowing that you tried to save her." She pulled out the seashell necklace she had snatched during the fall, holding it for Rush to take. "Please…be her hero."

Rush's expression was impassive as he looked between Jewel and his little sister's greatest treasure. It didn't require much though.

* * *

"Where the hell are they?" Flarus questioned impatiently.

It had been five minutes since their target had been rescued by the quick-witted echidna. After the twin-colored hedgehog had successfully managed to evade them, Maido had the suspicion that he didn't do it on his own. His theory was proven correct when Flarus marched over to the site of Jewel's corpse, only to find a gaping hole that had recently been burrowed. As of this moment, Maido was kneeling down, staring into the darkness of the underground tunnel, with Flarus circling them with impatience written on her expression.

"Whoever she is, her training has proven worthwhile." Maido stated coolly. "I surmise that she started digging while I was holding her down and was able to flee immediately after I released her. I doubt she was able to get away without some form of injury."

"What does it matter?" Flarus hissed, leaning over the hole. "Let's just hurry and scorch the whole thing."

"You don't know if your flames will actually reach them." Maido elaborated. "Echidnas are natural burrowers that can create a maze of tunnels in under three minutes. She could have dragged the child away into a separate tunnel or maybe escaped altogether. We needed to lure them out somehow."

"Ask and ye shall receive!"

Snapping their attention back to the tunnel, both Sword Lords unconsciously leaned forward in the darkness – their ears perked to a strange buzzing noise. Then faster than either of them could blink; a sphere of red and blue rocketed out of the hole, smacking into both of their chins. Since Maido took a majority of the blow, he was thrown off his feet and landed on his back with a dull thud. The Guardian of Hell attempted to sit up properly, but was halted when Rush uncurled from his ball form and stomped his feet into the hellhound's stomach, earning a suffocated gasp. Meanwhile, Flarus staggered dizzily to the left, trying to shake her head free from the red and blue spots obscuring her vision. Unbeknownst to the flaming salamander, Jewel had burrowed her way to freedom behind Flarus and obtained a firm grip on the overgrown lizard's tail. Flarus, sensing the danger, extinguished all the flames on her back and attempted to release fireball on the elusive echidna. But Jewel swiftly placed a hand over her mouth to create another internal explosion within the salamander, leaving Flarus to the point of exhaustion. Jewel lifted the crimson lizard over her head like a trophy of sorts and discarded her immediately to Maido, who was struggling to stand after Rush had dashed away.

"Looks like these guys aren't as tough as we thought." Rush said cockily, zooming to Jewel's side.

"Or maybe we're just that good." Jewel added; she high-fived the hedgehog.

"You arrogant little brats!" Flarus growled, grunting as she climbed Maido's back. "Do you have any idea who you are dealing with? We are the greatest of the…!"

"Blah, blah, blah." Rush interrupted with a hand gesture. "You talk too much. That's the problem with villains these day – they never know when to shut up!"

"Can we finish this already?" Jewel yawned mockingly. "I'm getting bored."

"Whatever you say, my dear." Rush said with a playful regal tone.

Jewel rolled her eyes, but quickly turned her head to make sure the red spots on her cheeks weren't obvious. Thankfully, Rush was just as ignorant as his father – maybe more. The twin-colored hedgehog skipped off the ground for about ten feet before tucking into his ball form. As gravity took hold of the dual-colored sphere, Jewel pulled back her unburned fist and contracted her muscles as the ball dropped closer. Once Rush was within her range, the white-furred female slammed her knuckles against the enclosed hedgehog with all her might. A much faster and stronger Homing Attack added to the fact that Maido and Flarus were in his path would equal…

"Crap." Maido cursed blandly.

Rush bounced off the Sword Lord's chest and uncurled, landing to his feet as the hellhound and his partner were shot across the clearing. The fiery duo didn't even touch the ground until they hit the bark of the Great Deku Tree – well, it was mostly Flarus – and dropped with a simultaneous grunt of pain followed by a unified moan.

"Strike three, you're out!" Rush laughed; Jewel bashed him over the head. "OW! What'd I do?"

"And I used to think you were cool." Jewel sighed disappointedly.

"This is…unexpected." Flarus wheezed forcefully; she was still clinging to Maido's back as the Sword Lord stumbled to his feet. "When they were alone…we could have destroyed them effortlessly. But now…that they're together…"

"It will be impossible at this stage." Maido grunted knowledgeably. "That means only one thing."

"Pitiful that we had to waste it on a couple of children." Flarus grimaced, leering at the children. "Still, it should be quite an honor for your unappreciative leeches. This is the second time we've ever had to push this far."

"What are you old crones talkin' 'bout?" Rush asked with a raised brow.

"In case you have forgotten, this is the second stage of Flarus' power." Maido proclaimed with a victorious grin. "That means there is only one stage left – the most powerful of all three stages. A power that has only been defeated at the hands of the true leader of the Seven Sword Lords."

"Oh hell…" Jewel muttered, tightening her fists defensively."

"Oh, you haven't seen Hell yet." Maido chuckled darkly.

Now given Rush's inherited speed, he could have stopped the fiery duo at any time. But a natural sense of curiosity dwelling in the hedgehog's brain allowed the transformation to commence without disturbance. That's going to be the death of him one day. Flarus continued to cling to the back of her partner, who was grunting forcefully, until their separate skin textures started to bond together. The flaming lizard seemed to be losing all bodily structure and becoming a symbiotic creatures that Rush had seen in the comic books. The union of two forms seemed to have an unexpected effect as the fused being continued to grow until he was equal to the Great Deku Tree in terms of height. Rush and Jewel were mentally blown away by the completed fusion of Maido and Flarus. The united beast most had Maido's body structure, but with Flarus' scales covering his pelvis, the sides of his thighs, his shoulders and forearms, and crimson scales melded into a crown around his forehead. This sort of gave him the appearance of wearing crimson battle armor. But probably the strangest feature was the fact that while the creature's face most resembled Maido's, Flarus' face was stretched across the majority of his chest – it's tongue started lashing out hungrily. As the pre-teen duo craned their heads to stare up at the fused giant, Jewel reached over and punched Rush in the face."

"OW!" Rush yelped, rubbing his jaw. "What'd ya do that for?"

"For getting me into this mess!" Jewel screamed.

"But you just…" Rush began, but waved his hand in surrender. "I swear, I'll never understand chicks." Another punch. "Come on!"

* * *

**The final clash of Rush's first adventure draws near. Will Rush and Jewel be able to overcome the third stage of Maido and Flarus? Will Alina's fate finally be decided? And here are the others during this crucial time? Find out in the conclusion of the Sword Lord Arc on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	20. Spark, Part 3

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Note: Last chapter of the Sword Lord Arc

Chapter Nineteen: Spark, Part 3

"Gently now. Don't try to force it."

"Ok, I got it. I got – I don't got it! I don't got it!"

"Careful!"

The Samehada smacked the dirt with thud followed by an annoyed purr from the living blade. The scene had returned to the waterfall of the Kokiri Forest just three miles south of the main conflict following Torta's defeat. The headless tortoise had been properly buried by Kisame and Karma with hopes of calming his vengeful soul, but his cranium was still lost somewhere in the river. Just moments before, the golden-haired teen had been trying to hold the Samehada before losing her balance and falling hard on her butt with her strangely pigmented teacher watching them close. It had been thirty years since the greatest of the Seven Swordsman's blades had bowed to anyone – since Kisame had killed his master and took it for himself. And yet, the Goddess of Fate was trying – and failing – to hold the Samehada without falling over. The living blade only purred contently at her touch; something even Kisame couldn't do. She has the makings of a great swordsman.

"I don't think you're ready to wield the Samehada just yet." Kisame proclaimed, taking back his weapon and strapping it to his back. "But give it time and you'll be able to hold it like a pro."

"Really?" Karma asked with her eyes sparkling hopefully.

"Stick with me, kid, and you'll be a master in no time." Kisame smirked confidently.

"Yay!" Karma cheered. "Mr. Fishy's gonna teach me!"

The Monster of the Mist really wanted to snap at her, but bite back his tongue this time. She had wielded the Samehada the first time and single-handedly beheaded Torta – she deserved this. His ninja instincts went into action when the bushes across from the rustled quietly and slowly reached for the Samehada's skull handle. A wave of relief washed over the paranoid Akatsuki member when Mia and Cherry popped through the brambles with Emerl in tow. The little ones were safe with nothing but a few scratches, but the once-powerful Gizoid seemed worse for wear. His right shoulder was sparking randomly, the armored plating on his chest was rusty-red, and the plating on his right hand had melted away completely. Basically say, he looked worse than Hell.

"Having fun, hotshot?" Kisame smirked tauntingly; Emerl remained deathly silent. "Wow, you must be really pissed."

"Where's Rush and Jewel?" Mia questioned worried as she gazed around the area. "And what happened to my jeep?"

"Uh…" Kisame said hesitantly

"We blew it up." Karma smiled absentmindedly; Mia nearly passed out. "Ms. Meanie climbed up the waterfall and went after Rush herself. I'm sure she'll be back any moment."

"I wouldn't be too optimistic."

Without notice or warning from any of the others, Stratus the Raven dropped down from the sky and landed between the heroes and Akatsuki – his twin blade clattered loudly at his side. The Samehada shivered discouragingly as its masters sharply withdrew the living blade over his shoulder. Had he not expended all of his strength facing Torta, the Monster of the Mist wouldn't have hesitated to clip the flying swordsman's wings before he even touched the ground. So using whatever energy he had left, Kisame lunged at Stratus, who tilted his head curiously, and swiped across the starry avian's abdomen. At least that's what his intentions were. Just before the Samehada made any contact, Cherry latched to Kisame's forearm and activated his unique abilities to turn the Chao, assassin, and sword transparent. Stratus looked at his chest with wonder as the Samehada phased through his chest, leaving no signs of damage. Growling irritably, the Monster of the Mist tried shaking off the crimson-red annoyance.

"Get off, you little…" Kisame snarled.

"Mr. Hoshigaki, there's been a big misunderstanding!" Mia shouted urgently, throwing her hands up in emphasis. "Mr. Stratus is one of the good guys now." Kisame stopped, raising a transparent brow. "I know it sounds weird, but it's the truth."

"Just put away your blade, Kisame." Emerl commanded sternly. Kisame waited until Cherry had untangled himself from his cloak, restoring his mass, and returned the Samehada to its strap with a twirl of his hand. Emerl turned to the starry raven. "Now what were you talking about? Is something happening to Rush and Jewel."

"If nothing happened, it soon will be." Stratus answered with a deep frown. "Can't you feel it? Maido and Flarus have become one – they've activated the third and final stage."

"The final stage?" Karma repeated cluelessly.

"Each blade of the Seven Sword Lords has the power to evolve." Stratus explained seriously, occasionally glancing to the waterfall. "So far, you have only encounter the first stages of Tengon and Baruzil. But it seems like Maido is serious about killing the children – the third stage is only reserved for the most critical of situations. It is when we are at our most powerful."

Kisame finally understood why his blade was shaking the way it was. It wasn't feeling Stratus – it was shaking in the wake of Maido's unleashed power. Whatever was happening, the heroes could only hope that Rush and Jewel would survive long enough to for the rescue team to arrive.

* * *

"Why the hell did I go with you?" Jewel complained irritably.

"I was wondering the same thing myself." Rush groaned in equal annoyance.

The children of Sonic and Knuckles were standing under the shade of the largest living organism in the world, though had had no idea which it belonged to: the tree or Maido. The Guardian of Hell had – in Stratus's words – evolved into a grotesque and colossal creature that could be seen in monster movies. When fusing together with his sword – Flarus – the duo had grown to at least thirty feet tall while a few alterations that only enhanced its already beastly appearance. The united beast most had Maido's body structure, but with Flarus' scales covering his pelvis, the sides of his thighs, his shoulders and forearms, and crimson scales melded into a crown around his forehead. But probably the strangest feature was the fact that while the creature's face most resembled Maido's, Flarus' face was stretched across the majority of his chest – it's tongue started lashing out hungrily. Looking down to the animals that only reached to his ankles, Maido chuckled in a menacing fashion – the trees quaked from the thunderous booms.

"Look at them, my beloved." Maido said with a demonic tone. "See how their hopes suddenly dash away with the little hours of life they have left."

"And rightly so, my dear." Flarus hissed laughingly, turning its spotlight eyes to the ground. "Tell me, little ones. Is there anything you have left to say before you die?"

"Are you a dog or a lizard?" Rush asked interestingly; Maido and Flarus nearly fell to the ground in shock. "I mean, we're having a little trouble decided since you're all…mismatched and everything."

"I still think he's a lizard." Jewel said, rubbing her chin in thought.

"But he kinda looks like a dog, doesn't he?" Rush added.

"But what about the scales?" Jewel replied.

"Have you two completely lost you brains?" Flarus snarled angrily. "You are about to be destroyed by the most powerful swordsman in the world and you're just sitting there what species we are?"

"I wonder if it's a boy or a girl." Rush commented to Jewel.

"I'm kinda leaning towards a girl." The echidna shrugged.

"They dare mock us!" Flarus sneered.

"Calm yourself, my dear." Maido echoed calmly. "We will know our rage soon enough."

The news brought great joy to Flarus – it's kinda awkward when your chest is smiling with uneven teeth. With a chattering groan of relief from the Earth, the oversized Sword Lord raised his foot slower than normal. It could be suspected that the increased size had increased their strength and stamina, but also slowed their reflexes. Rush was easily able to run behind Maido and Jewel dug a hole into the ground with her Shovel Claws before the mismatched duo could step down. Unfortunately for Rush, the impact created from the monstrous footfall caused a ripple effect in the dirt, throwing the twin-colored hedgehog in the air with an uncoordinated flip. Lucky his skull's so thick. While Rush tended to the redness forming on his forehead, he failed to notice the mismatched duo turning and reaching a scaled claw for the hedgehog. Of course, the gigantic Sword Lord was a little distracted when one of the thicker branches of the Great Deku Tree snapped at his face. While Maido was temporarily blinded, Flarus' eyes traveled to the higher branches of the trunk. Jewel was standing on a far limb away from the dog/lizard hybrid, pulling back another branch to swipe at the enlarged Sword Lord. But before she was given a chance to release, Flarus emitted a loud, gurgling sound and expelled a molten liquid to the base of the branch. It was only later that Jewel found out that it was molten lava. The heat from the blazing liquid eroded the branches hold on the main trunk of the Great Deku Tree and snapped back at Jewel. The hot-blooded echidna was thrown off by the sudden shift and plummeted towards her death. But as you can well expect, the hero always gets the girl. In this case, Rush dashed just in time to capture his rival safely in his arms.

"You're just falling for me, aren't ya?" Rush winked cockily.

"Put me down and I promise not to break all the bones in your legs." Jewel said monotonously, trying to fight back the redness forming on her cheeks. The threat seemed to have it effects as Rush suddenly paled and placed her back on her feet. "Next time, try to be a little faster."

"You're welcome." Rush said sarcastically.

"Now do you see what we are capable of?" Flarus boasted wickedly. "Now do you understand what you are up against?"

"I understand that you could use ten tons of breath mints." Rush said jokingly, waving his hand like he was fending off some foul odor. "And maybe try this great invention called deodorant."

"I would suggest a complete makeover." Jewel sniggered tauntingly. "I know a girl named Lara-Su that would have a field day with you. I might even get you a discount because we're half-sisters."

"You have a half-sister?" Rush blinked surprisingly.

"Long story." Jewel shrugged.

"You show great bravery in the face of death." Maido commented knowledgably. "You aren't going to surrender easily, are you?"

"Not a chance." Rush and Jewel said simultaneously, laughing at the weird coincidence.

The answer obviously didn't satisfy Flarus, despite her partner's impassive expression. The mismatched duo closed their united hand into a fist and thrashed downwards for the pre-teen heroes, who were easily able to avoid it with their speed. Much like last time, the ground moved with a ripple effect around the targeted area. Now you might think Rush is a clueless kid, but he actually learns quick on his feet – it must be hereditary. The twin-colored hedgehog raced across the clearing with the wave of Earth following close behind until he reached the base of the Great Deku Tree. With his advanced speed, it was no surprise that he was able to climb the trunk using only his feet. The enormous tree shuddered briefly, but Rush was able to steady himself on one of the lower branches. But while the twin-colored hedgehog tried to focus on the hybrid giant, his mind was vaguely distracted with thoughts of Jewel's condition. He didn't hear any screaming, so that must have been a good sign. Then again, Rush wasn't really sure if his hot-blooded rival knew how to scream – yell savagely, but not scream. But the pre-teen hero could allow himself to drift off considering that a thirty foot giant was having the worst case of heartburn ever. Flarus was the source of the duo's flaming powers, so it wasn't unexpected when the lizard face spat a fireball the size of a truck. If the Great Deku Tree wasn't dead from the centuries, it was now dead from the heat licking against the bark. Rush quickly kicked himself skyward as the sphere of flames began to set fire to the elder tree, which was Flarus had hoped for. In an unexpected twist, the lizard's tongue snapped ahead and stretched to an unbelievable length. The oral muscle constricted around the pre-teens waist and pulled him close until Rush was up-close and personal with the flaming lizard.

"Not to be rude or anything." Rush grunted, struggling against slimy snake. "But I don't kiss on the first date."

"Wah rou awade off mi noh?" Flarus mumbled.

"What?" Rush and Maido blinked in unity.

"Wi red." Flarus glared insultingly. "Wah rou awade off mi noh?"

"I don't get it." Rush shook his head; Maido shrugged.

"I said…!" Flarus sneered, snapping her tongue back.

That was one of the bigger mistakes a super villain could have made. The moment Rush was free, he curled himself into his family's signature ball form and performed the Homing Attack against Flarus' left eye. The flaming lizard shrieked in an unnatural manner as the duo stumbled backwards in shock, using their conjoined hand to cover the wound. The sphere of red and blue dropped closer to the Earth until Rush uncurled and landed on the ground with grace that could only be worthy of Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Oh man, I can't believe you fell for that!" Rush laughed loudly, pointing at the irritable lizard.

"It does seem a bit predictable." Maido scolded.

"Just shut up and kill him already!" Flarus hissed.

The Guardian of Hell was only too happy too oblige. But from the moment the mismatched duo lifted their right foot to stamp out the hedgehog from existence, they had already sealed their fate. The alarming amount of pressure left on the conjoined giant's left foot seemed to have caused a cave in from below, pulling the titan's leg into the Earth. Rush couldn't help laughing at the awkward position they were it. And while Maido and Flarus argued back and forth on whose fault this was, the ground erupted to Rush's right and Jewel was found standing with a wicked grin stretched across her face. Her shovel Claws were dirty than usual – the gears seemed to click seamlessly in the hedgehog's brain.

"I'm guessing this is your handiwork." Rush grinned teasingly.

"Hey, I'm not afraid to play dirty." Jewel replied arrogantly. "It's a good thing you're so annoying or they would have found out a long time ago."

"Again, you're welcome." Rush said sarcastically.

"This battle has grown tiresome." Maido said collectively; the muscles on his lip twitched edgily. "I no longer care about what Naga has to offer. You have made a mockery of my teachings, my sword, and my power."

"Not so much a mockery as a complete sham." Rush snickered.

"This game is over." Maido proclaimed lowly.

Flarus' facial expression stretched across Maido's chest, exposing the rows of jagged, uneven teeth. Without much warning beforehand, the flaming lizard snapped its tongue similar to it earlier capture. Rush, having seen the move once before, tucked and rolled out under the slimy serpent, but Jewel wasn't as lucky as her rival. The hot-blooded echidna was thrown off by the unusual technique and unconsciously allowed herself to be pushed against the roots of the Great Deku Tree – the fire had died out with most of the branches. The feminine warrior grunted and tugged against oral muscle, shivering as salivation dripped down her shirt, but the coil only seemed to wrap tighter between the root and the echidna. Rush's mind told him to move and help his friend – his legs twitched for running – but something stronger told him to stay put. It wasn't his brain or his heart commanding him. This was something much more power, much more influential, and much more ancient – something was stirring inside the pre-teen hero. But before Rush was able to make up his mind, the mismatched titan had pulled himself free from the pit and swung his foot across the base of the Great Deku Tree. The monolithic plant was finally uprooted from its center of origin and toppled backwards with a thunderous thud that could have echoed for miles. Rush covered himself with his arms as piles of wood splitters, crackling leaves, and flecks of ash rained down from the sky. All around them, the animals screeched and fled in a panic, most likely afraid that their greatest monument had been brought down. But Rush forced himself to ignore them, his eyes were locked on something much worse than a fallen tree.

"JEWEL!" Rush screamed in a panic.

The hot-blooded echidna was splayed against a large log – probably one of the tree's roots – looking much worse than she did when trying to convince the hedgehog earlier. A large portion of her shirt was ripped open to show a few splinters piercing her ribcage, her right leg was twisted in an awkward angle, and the bandages around her forehead did nothing the prevent the blood trailing down the side of her head. The only good thing Rush noticed was that her chest was rising and falling in a steady pattern, meaning she was alive. Rush allowed himself to breathe easy. A little late for that. Because the twin-colored hedgehog was too distracted by his friend, he failed to notice the mismatched titan's hand until it closed around his waist, slowly cutting off his circulation. Struggle as much as he liked, the pre-teen hero was unable to break free from Maido's clutches as he was lifted thirty feet into the air, facing the twin faces of the Sword Lords.

"You're a nasty little gnat." Flarus said, relishing the hedgehog's display of pain. "Finish him quickly, my beloved."

"As you wish." Maido boomed.

As with a rough squeeze, Rush's ribcage was shattered and his organs were crushed on the spot. The last thing the pre-teen saw before losing himself into darkness was the grinning faces of the combined Sword Lords.

"That was almost too quick." Flarus said disappointedly. "I was at least hoping for an anguished scream or a plea for mercy, but you can't always have what you want, can you?"

"At least this mission is finally over." Maido grunted darkly. "Despite Naga's direct orders."

"And why should we follow orders from the belly-dragging disgrace." Flarus glared heatedly. "If you ask me, the best we can do – what's the smell."

At first, Maido didn't understand what his trusted partner was talking about, but his heightened sense of smell slowly picked up the scent. It wasn't anything physical or inanimate – it was alive, but it wasn't. The Guardian of Hell was capable of sniffing out pure energy from the air, but when has Chaos Energy been deemed to be alive. Maido and Flarus followed the trail and were unpleasantly surprised that the Chaos Energy was radiating from the boy they had mercilessly crushed. The united duo was stunned, but not because the hedgehog possessed one of the largest reservoirs of Chaos Energy they ever found. They were shocked – and a little afraid – to find that Rush the Hedgehog was standing at full attention in their hand with some unexpected changes in his appearance. Neon-white patterns formed across a great majority of his body – connected spirals across his legs and arms – all coming together to form a whirlwind pattern tattooed on his chest in neon-white. His normally jade-green eyes were now pure as snow and a Latin symbol appeared on his forehead in neon-white. Maido and Flarus recognized the symbol: _Ventus_

"What manner of trickery is this?" Maido questioned; he didn't realize he was shaking.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this." Rush said, but it wasn't in he own voice. The tone was harsh and gentle at the same time – like the ever-changing winds. "Twelve years I've been waiting for this kid to awaken his senses and allow me temporary relief. I should thank you."

"Who are you?" Flarus questioned disgustedly.

"As of now…" Rush grinned confidently. "You're worst nightmare."

Everything happened so fast that ever Sonic would be jealous. Without any explanation, a sphere of compressed wind formed around the glowing hedgehog and pushed outwards, slicing all of Maido's fingers from his hand. The mismatched duo staggered backwards, wincing in pain as purple blood leaked from their conjoined hand and the severed fingers turned into dark vapor. The united titan shivered as their blood ran cold, looking back to the pre-teen monster that had dealt a critical wound to them. You can only imagine their shock when finding the glowing hedgehog floating lofty in the air, protected by his sphere of compressed winds. Growling in frustration, Flarus commanded their conjoined arm to swat the flying rodent away. Another one to add to her list of major mistakes. Before they could even touch the glowing hedgehog, the compressed winds cut through the titan's wrist and severed it from the rest of the body, dissolving into black vapor. And Rush just seemed amused. The floating hedgehog positioned himself in a way that looked like he was taking off for another run and dashed across the airline in a faint blur of white. Flarus eyes were wide with fear before the pre-teen monster smashed against the flaming lizard and erupted through the titan's back. The flaming lizard's consciousness faded from the world, leaving Maido as he fell to his knees from exhaustion. The Guardian of Hell barely found the strength to lift his head, confirm his worst nightmare as the glowing hedgehog drifted within his range of sight.

"But…how?" Maido shuddered.

"I have good news and bad news." Rush smirked darkly, holding out his hand. "The good news: you're going home. The bad news: your going back the hard way."

The way he said it – so malevolent and without feeling – it unnerved Maido. Everyone always called him a demon, but this boy was the real monster. While the hellhounds mind processed this, the glowing hedgehog collected all the wind from his sphere and compacted it into a needle no bigger than his fingers. And with a casual wave, the points swiped across the air and pierced through the Sword Lord's skull. Nothing seemed to please Rush more than to watch the expression of horror on Maido's face as death was mercilessly brought down up him in the blink of an eye. The hybrid titan fell backwards with a thunderous rumble and smashed into the ground with an earthshaking thud. It only took moments before the Guardian of Hell was whisked away to his domain in a thundercloud of black vapor, leaving behind only the imprint of his existence. Rush never felt so powerful, so confident – he could conquer this world if he wanted to. But just as sudden as the unexplained power came to him, it was started to drain away fast. The boy was regaining consciousness. He didn't want the boy to wake up fall from thirty feet and dived for the ground like a lead weight, finally touching down on his hands and knees. And the moment he was reconnected to the Earth, the glow faded and the pre-teen hero had returned to his normal appearance. Of course, normal was putting the term lightly. As the twin-colored hedgehog looked around, he seemed lost and confused like a little child.

"What happened?" Rush slurred weakly. "Where am I? What happened to Maido?"

"The fight is over Rush the Hedgehog. You've won."

The pre-teen hero stiffened for a short moment at the venomous tone. Still shaking from the experience he couldn't remember, Rush stood to face Naga the Snake. Rush was torn between running scared and ripping the filthy reptile to shreds – the latter seemed like a better option.

"It was you." Rush glared spitefully. "You set me up the entire time. The Sword Lords, my sister's disease – you planned all of this just to drag me out here and fight Maido. What I want to know is why."

"I suppose you deserve an answer as your reward." Naga said nonchalantly; he wasn't threatened by a mere child. "Not many can survive a battle against Maido the Cerberus, let alone kill him." His eyes temporarily drifted over to the crater that had formed from the fallen Sword Lord. "The true reason I called you out here to face the hellhound was to measure your power."

"Measure my power?" Rush repeated confused.

"During your brief scuffle against Kai, I knew you were special." Naga explained, acting like he was giving Rush a rare treat. "I could see it in your eyes: a sleeping power that would ascend you to levels beyond your father, possibly power that could even rival Nazo. I had to see it again – I needed to be sure. So I orchestrated this elaborate ruse to back you into a corner and force you to unconsciously tap into that hidden power dwelling within you." He waved his hand to the battlefield. "And you didn't disappoint."

"I…did all this?" Rush stammered, suddenly feeling sick.

"You still have a long way, but that's fine by me." Naga hissed. The heartless serpent reached into his pocket and withdrew a vial of snow-white liquid before throwing it to Rush. The twin-colored hedgehog grabbed it tentatively, fearing that he might break it. "I am a man of my word, Rush the Hedgehog. That chemical compound will reverse the effects of the poison flowing through your sister's veins. And because your sister has aged, her immune system will prevent this disease from ever returning."

"What's the catch?" Rush questioned suspiciously.

"Always paranoid like your father – a good trait to keep." Naga smiled confidently. "I have kept my end of the bargain, Rush the Hedgehog, but you seem to have lost track of time during your little adventure. The virus will kill your sister in one hour and it takes two hours to reach the South Kingdom even with your speed. You're too late."

"No…" Rush panted heavily.

"Until next time, Rush the Hedgehog." Naga chuckled lowly.

And with that, the heartless serpent disappeared into the shadows. The world seemed to crash around the twin-colored hedgehog. Despite all his pain and suffering, despite everything he went through, it was too late to save his little sister. Rush didn't even pay attention when Mia and their rest of their friends dashed into the clearing, ignoring their questions as dread washed over him. Stratus and Emerl were trying to help the unconscious Jewel, Kisame and Karma investigate the crater with stupefied expression, and Mia and Cherry were staring at his with worried gazes. But that didn't matter anymore – nothing mattered any more. He was a failure.

"_Please…be her hero._"

That one instance between him and Jewel seemed to pop into his mind at random. What was he doing? Why was he giving up so easily? He was Rush the Hedgehog, son of the fastest, cockiest, and most disobedient thing alive! Even if he did fail to save Alina in time, he would feel good knowing he tried his best. And somehow, he knew Alina felt the same way.

"Guys, take care of Jewel." Rush requested.

"Where are you going?" Mia asked surprisingly; Cherry chirped simultaneously.

"Wherever the wind takes me." Rush winked with confident.

Quick as a flash, the twin-colored hedgehog dashed through the Kokiri Forest, leaving behind his friends and a trail of dust. It seemed impossible that he would make it in time, but that wasn't going to stop him. He finally understood that feel that controlled him, the thing that allowed him to unconsciously defeat Maido. It was hope.

And everything dissolved into white.

* * *

The scenery shifts to the central hospital in the South Kingdom the next day. In one of the lower rooms, the nurses were coming in and out throughout the day to prepare for the next resident, occasionally glancing at their visitor. Rush the Hedgehog sat alone at the bedside that used to belong to Alina with his elbows rested on the sheets and his hands folded in a silent prayer. The twin-colored hedgehog was trying to stay strong and prevent himself from crying, but everything that had happened in the past two days just seemed to wash over him. He foolishly walked into Naga's trap; purposely hurt his friends and family without consideration. Rush always dreamed of himself being a great hero like his dad someday, but that dream now seemed so far away. And pattern of tapping metal reached his ears and the hedgehog turned his head to the entrance of the room, finding Jewel staring grimly at him. The hot-blooded echidna had been mostly healed, but the encounter with Maido had shattered her leg in three places, forcing her into a cast and crutches.

"Let's go." Jewel said, gesturing with her head. She waited in silence until Rush finally stepped out of the room, following his rival down the hall. "Rush, I know what you're thinking and you're wrong. No one blames you for what happened – there was nothing you could've done."

"I just keep thinking to myself." Rush mumbled. "What if I had been faster? Then maybe…"

"You can't dwell in the past." Jewel said in a serious tone. "Take it from someone who has experience. The longer your think about it, the more painful it becomes. It only gets worse as the years roll by."

"What happened to Stratus, Kisame, and Karma?" Rush asked slowly.

"Kisame and Karma were called off to a mission in Mazuri." Jewel answered. "As for Stratus, I think he said something about visiting the secret library in Alexandria, wherever that is."

"Do you think Alina's happy now?" Rush asked self-consciously.

"I'm sure she's never been happier." Jewel said confidently.

Rush was starting to feel much better now. Though she was low tempered and a complete jerk, Jewel was a really good friend. The pair found Mia and Cherry waiting near the entrance of the hospital and helped Rush push open the door for the injured echidna. The sun was shining, the sky was crystal clear, and Rush's parents were waiting for them just outside. Amy threatened to beat Rush senseless with her hammer, but Sonic managed to calm his wife down and convince her of another punishment. For the next two months, Rush would be cleaning the sewers with his bare hands – the pre-teen shuddered at the prospect of grime and water mixed together. But while lost in the middle of his thoughts, he was nearly bowled over by a pink blur tackling him at the waist.

"BIG BROTHER!"

Rush laughed happily as Alina tried her hardest to squeeze every the life out of her elder brother – a trait most certainly passed down by their mother. When the pink bundle of energy finally let go, Rush kneeled down to eye level and smiled brighter than he has in the last few days. Just as Naga had promised, the chemical had completely destroyed the virus and Alina's natural hot-pink color returned along with a brighter pair of emerald-green eyes. The only side effect was that Alina was restless and filled with more adrenaline than she could handle – they hoped it was only temporary.

"Hey, squirt." Rush laughed, ruffling her quills. "How ya feeling?"

"Big brother, you promised we go for on an adventure." Alina pouted in an adorable manner.

"Well, I did promise that, did I?" Rush said in mock surprise. The elder sibling pulled his giggling sister on his back. "Hang on tight, kid! We're going for a ride!"

The others took a step back, learning from experience, and watched as Rush and Alina took off at supersonic speed through the city and into the grass plains, laving behind only a path of smoke. The twin-colored loved running, but he loved the joyful laughter of his little sister ever more. It's like they always say: it darkness before the dawn. There would definitely be more dangerous challenges in his future. But for now, Rush had already reached his goal.

"**And that's pretty much my story…**"

_-End Flashback-_

* * *

The scene returned to the hellish apocalypse of the future with the twin-colored adult, now identified as Rush the Hedgehog, being held one hundred feet in the hands of a shadowed giant. The four blaring-red eyes of the demon of darkness took in delight as Rush continued to squirm in his skeletal hand.

"_Now I know what you're thinking._" Rush narrated. "_How does that lead to me being crushed to death by a four-eyed shadow monster that created the universe?_ _Well, I would tell you, but I don't think I'm going to live long enough to tell you._"

"I can feel your life-force fading away." The darkness echoed in a wicked tone. "You are losing hope for salvation. But do not despair, Chosen One. You will soon be with your friends and your dearly beloved wife soon enough."

"Go…to…Hell." Rush grunted weakly.

"Look around you, Chosen One." The darkness said knowingly, gesturing with his other skeletal hand. "This is Hell. MY Hell!"

The twin-colored hedgehog screamed louder than he ever heard himself before as the darkness increased his grip and commanded a flow of electricity to flow through his fingertips. Its kinda hard to believe that after all his death defying adventures that he would perish this easily. But just as his vision began to darken, a wave of bended light spiraled through the black clouds, stabbing the darkness in his upper-right eye. The shadow titan roared in surprise and unconsciously released the hedgehog while holding his eye, allowing the hero to plummet to the Earth. Rush was barely starting to regain consciousness and his limbs weren't receiving any messages from his brain to move. Fortunately enough, he was landed safely into a pair of strong arms just a few feet of above the ground and the dizziness began to wear off. His field of vision was soon clouded by a curtain of gold.

"Not to be rude or anything." A woman's voice reached his hearing. "But you lose a lot."

"Thanks for the commentary, Karma." Rush groaned.

The twin-colored hedgehog slowly allowed his feet to touch the ground and turned to his friend. Once a simple, happy-go-lucky child, Karma had grown into a beautiful woman that would capture the attention of any man with her mystical-violet eyes and waist length golden hair. Her attire had been altered to the standard Akatsuki cloak (black with red clouds), her own Akatsuki ring and Kisame's ring on her right ring and left ring finger respectively, and a leather strap across her chest. The Samehada purred contently on her back. But in the background behind the blond Akatsuki member, Rush spotted a pure-white hedgehog, a crimson-red bat, and a man that seemed to be comprised entirely of golden armor.

"Hey, you guys are still alive!" Rush cheered happily.

"The Highest One's power protected us during the sweep." The red bat explained. "He felt that we were needed."

"So my brother has managed to save a few more insects." The shadow growled confidently. "One mortal or a thousand, you will all fall the same."

"You don't scare us, Orphius!" Rush proclaimed with renewed vigor. "You'll never get the last ring! We'll stop you even if we die trying!"

The colossal shadow known as Orphius made on notion that he heard the hedgehog's proclamation and instead raised his skeletal hands into view. Nine multi-colored rings glowered on each of his fingers. Just one more and he would be complete. But Rush refused to back down to the darkness and instead prepared himself for the coming battle. Hope was still alive in him and it was beginning to take form in his features. The neon-white markings flowed across his body with the whirlwind pattern on his chest, his eyes were pure white, and the symbol of _Ventus _tattooed on his forehead in neon-white.

"_Trust me when I say this._" Rush narrated. "_It's only gonna get weirder from here._"

* * *

**The first adventure of the Chosen One comes to a suspenseful close. What was the power that Rush had unleashed? What secrets does Naga know about this mysterious power? And what new journeys await our pre-teen hero? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

* * *

Now is your chance to decide the future of the Sonic Rush Series. Choose one of the following arcs to decide which one will be next.

1) The Babylon Rogues Arc

2) Mina Mongoose Arc

VOTE NOW!


	21. Relations

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Note: First chapter of the Babylon Rogues Arc

Chapter Twenty: Relations

The scene opens to the seaside city of Nocturne, home of the revived echidna tribes. Nearly a week had passed since the simultaneous deaths of Torta the Tortoise and Maido the Cerberus – two of the Seven Sword Lords. Word had spread like wildfire over the facts of the incident, but some rumors were more obscure than others. One story claimed that Maido was gathering an army for world domination while another said that the infamous Reace the Doe had commanded the trio to assassinate the South Kingdom king. But despite the different variations, one fact remained resolute: Kisame Hoshigaki and Emerl the Gizoid had teamed up to kill the Guardian of Hell. And Rush wasn't happy about it. The twin-colored hedgehog was presently seating himself in the temporary room that was provided for Jewel for her recovery period. During the fight with Maido, the hot-blooded echidna had fractured her femur bone in three different places, restricting the warrior to her bed for a month. But Jewel simply refused to stay in one place – something Rush could relate to – and is the reason why he, Mai and Cherry were summoned in the first place.

"The doctor said you have stay of your leg until the bone heals." Mia said in a motherly tone as she and Cherry attempted to push Jewel back into bed. "Which means no training, no running, and definitely no beating up Rush."

"Which I am thankful for." Rush said from his chair, which was conveniently out of Jewel's reach. "But seriously, you took a major bruising against that dog…lizard…thing…or whatever. You should just sit back and relax."

"Training is how I relax." Jewel said impatiently. She attempted to reach for the crutches next to her nightstand, but Mai took the liberty of moving them to the other end of the room. "All right, what the hell did I ever do to deserve this?"

"If anyone's to blame, it's Rush." Mia said dignified.

"Wha?" Rush blurted.

"If you hadn't run off on your own, this could have been avoided." Mia proclaimed, finally managing to settle Jewel on the mattress. "We could have made a plan and worked together instead of worrying half to death."

"Aw, you do care about me." Rush joked in a mocking sympathetic tone.

"Like a bad toothache." Jewel said shortly.

"I think she actually means it."

The new sound emerged from behind the twin-colored followed by a short laugh. Jewel's sixteen year-old half-sister, Lara-Su, arrived carrying a bowl of fresh picked fruit and a glass of water in each hand. Lara-Su was a cherry-red echidna – the same shade as Knuckles – with eight quills dangling close to her shoulder and a mop of hot-pink hair above her head. Her clothing consisted of a black shirt with a white collar, a pair of cargo pants with eight pouches, a pair of black, leather combat boots, and a pair of plain gloves. When Rush first met her, he thought she worked for the military until he realized she was blind as a bat with her horn-rimmed glasses. The elder female stepped around Rush and settled the food and drink on Jewel's bedside table, smirking playfully at her half-sister's childish pout.

"Aw, it's not so bad, kiddo." Lara-Su chuckled as she ruffled her younger sibling's quills, which Jewel attempted to swat away irritably. "It's only another three weeks. They'll fly by in no time and you'll be back to punching poor rocks in no time."

"I don't have to like it." Jewel muttered disappointedly.

"I know you don't like to be cramped into a small space." Lara-Su said sympathetically, sitting herself on the edge of the mattress. "But think of it this way: we'll have plenty of time for sisterly bonding."

"Half-sisters." Jewel corrected, but not in a sense that she was unhappy. She had confided to Rush that Lara-Su was someone she looked up to and all she wanted in a sibling. The elder echidna ruffled her sister's quills again, earning a brief laugh from the warrior. "All right, all right. But if you push any of that girly stuff on me, I'm jumpin' out this window."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Lara-Su smiled.

"Actually, I'm kind wondering about something." Mia said sheepishly, scratching her head nervously. "I know it's none of my business, but you both said you were half-sisters. How does that work."

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about." Lara-Su said offhandedly, leaning back casually against her arms. "It all started when out older brother, Terro…"

The bespectacled echidna was cut off by an alarming _crack_ and a splash of wetness dripping against her right arm. Everyone looked over to Jewel, who was previously taking a drink before the glass shattered in her grip. Lara-Su allowed her gaze to drop in sadness and Rush tried to remain stoic, but Mai and her pet Chao exchanged confused glances. It wasn't surprising, Rush thought. When the twin-colored hedgehog had lost confidence in himself, Jewel had told some parts of her history about how her older brother had left, which led to a somewhat emotional breakdown. Rush was certain that he was the only one outside the echidna family that knew about the older brother's existence and how Jewel resented him. This was the first time he was ever mentioned by name….Terro. Rush could have sworn he heard that name somewhere before.

"Sorry." Jewel apologized once regaining her senses, wiping her glove clean of the glass shards. "I guess I was just holding the glass too tight – wouldn't be the first time it happened."

"Your mother's still mad about the China you broke last month." Lara-Su said in an attempt to change the mood. It worked well as Jewel stuck her tongue childishly at her sister. "Anyway, it started when our…brother was four years old. Dad and Rouge got into a fight one night about something – probably about the emeralds or something – and dad decided to leave for the night. He went to my mother, Julie-Su, for support…and kinda got more than he bargained for."

"Mr. Knuckles cheated on Mrs. Rogue." Mia gasped dramatically; Cherry covered his mouth shockingly.

"I wouldn't call it cheating." Lara-Su continued, scratching the back of her head. "You kinda forget about some of the important stuff like marriage when you're drunk." She paused for a moment to allow the more innocent audience to have their brief reflections, ignoring subtle smirk from Rush. "I was conceived during that night and my mom didn't find out until a month later when she went to doctor and found out she was pregnant."

"And Rouge was ok with this?" Rush questioned in disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?" Jewel snickered mischievously. "When she found out, she threatened to castrate dad."

"But my mother managed to convince her." Lara-Su added, taking pleasure at the apparent fear in the hedgehog's eyes. "She explained that the whole thing was just an emotional fling and was never trying to take her place. My mother promised to never bother them again, but dad was against the idea. It may have been a mistake, but dad swore to uphold his responsibilities as a father."

"I don't think you're a mistake." Jewel said softly; Lara-Su ruffled her quills again.

"That's sweet of you to say." Lara-Su smiled, pulling her hand back as the younger sibling swiped at it. "Ever since then, dad's been pulling double-time trying to raise three children at once."

"Mr. Knuckles is a great man." Mia said cheerfully; Cherry repeated with a chirp.

"A bit stupid and thick-headed, but he's a nice guy once you get to know him." Rush compliment…somewhat. He leaned back into his chair, standing on two of its legs, and traced the lavender swirls on the ceiling. "Kinda makes me appreciate the things my dad does for us. He's a king and everything, but he's not like those stuck-up, royal pains in the…"

"Ok, we get it." Lara-Su interjected warningly.

"Sorry." Rush apologized with a laugh. "But he's always there whenever you need him and always runs around with the kind of attitude that makes you think he's up to something, which he usually is. Now that I think about it, the only time I've ever seen him down is whenever they mention the baby."

"The baby?" Mia blinked.

"My mom was pregnant during the Dark Siege." Rush said seriously, folding his arms over his chest and looking down at the hardwood floor. "They were doing all right while fighting back against Pein's army, but Makuta Teridax ended up brainwashing my dad and killed the baby."

"That's horrible." Mia gasped fretfully.

"To think, I came this to having a big brother or sister." Rush said, holding up his hand in emphasis. "But we can't change what happened in the past…yet. But look on the bright side: my family's huge!"

"He's right, you know." Mia grinned, rolling her eyes to the echidna siblings. "He's practically related to everyone in the Sonic Heroes."

"Aw, it's not everyone." Rush said smugly, counting his fingers with each name. "My Uncle Rector is married to Shade, who's Tikal's sister, who married Blue. Raine is my legal aunt that married Charmy, my dad and Shadow share the same blood, Kumori is married to Shadow, Silver is my descendant and he's married to Blaze, Tails is considered my uncle and he married Cream, Jet is my godfather, which would make Wave my godmother, and I have no idea what happened to my Uncle Stream."

"Wow, that must be one complicated family tree." Jewel said amazingly.

"My mom tried to keep track eight times before she gave up." Rush laughed with his hands behind his head.

"So wouldn't that make you and Mia related?" Lara-Su asked cluelessly.

"Figuratively." Mia excused hopefully. "We're not related by blood or by legal sense."

"As far as I'm concerned." Rush said loftily. "It's just me, mom, dad, and Alina."

"Right…" Lara-Su said slowly. "You're sister…"

"Why?" Rush questioned curiously, dropping the chair back to all-fours. "Something wrong with her?"

"No, nothing!" Lara-Su said quickly.

Having gotten in trouble many times for the similar situation, Rush was an expert when it comes to lying. And he could easily tell when someone was keeping a secret…unless they were related to Shadow. The way that the bespectacled echidna mentioned Alina made the twin-colored hedgehog wonder if she knew something that she wasn't telling. But against his better judgment, he decided not to press it. Alina had only been cured of Chaos Poisoning less than a week ago – she needed to stay out of trouble.

"You guys have really nice families." Mia praised, cradling Cherry in her arms. "I was I had a brother or sister."

"What about your family?" Jewel asked curiously.

"You already know my mom is Cream and my dad is Tails." Mia piped proudly. "Though I don't get to see them a lot because they have to take care of things in the Demon Mountains and it's too dangerous for me to stay there. So I have to stay with Rush and his family."

"Isn't your great-grandfather the Kyuubi?" Lara-Su asked.

"He was my dad's grandpa." Mia nodded. "He wasn't happy when Grandma Kyira married Grandpa Nyrox, but she didn't care – they were in love. I also have an Aunt Aura that married Howl the Wolf from Team Virtex and I have another aunt from my mom's side of the family."

"Tang the Rabbit?" Rush said in a surprising tone. "I remember her – loud, obnoxious, always taking my stuff. Whatever happened to her?"

"She was working for Team Virtex on the Babylon Rogues case." Mia informed; Cherry frowned disappointedly. "Then one day, she just decided to quit and leave. Grandma Vanilla was really upset."

"I never liked her anyway." Rush commented with his finger in his ear; the girls grimaced.

"God, all this talking is starting to give me a migraine." Jewel moaned, dropped backwards into her pillow. "What I wouldn't give for a little action around here."

Ask and ye shall receive, young one

* * *

The scenery alternates from the humble household to the intimidating tower that overshadowed the city. The Citadel was once the throne of Ix's empire during his reign over the Nocturne before his sudden usurp of power. Now it stood as a united monument for which the heads of the Nocturne Council would convene. Within the lower levels of the citadel, six echidnas garbed in rich-purple robes – the six heads of the council – formed in a circle on either side of Pir'Oth Ix. Amongst the council members was a hot-pink echidna female with violet-tipped quills, one of which was completely cybernetic. She was Julie-Su, mother to Lara-Su and Head of the Nocturne Council. The seven echidnas were gathered around a raised podium in the center of the chamber holding a see-through box. But this object was far from ordinary. Contained within the clear-glass square was a spiral of deathly-black energy that was occasionally missed with small speck of red, purple, and brilliant-white. None of the echidna leaders dared to move any closer in fear that they would break it would the simplest touch.

"Quite extraordinary." Ix commented, stroking his beard in an interesting fashion. "Are you certain of your findings?"

"We don't need you to question our abilities!" A younger male snapped; Ix was impassive. "We've gone over the numbers sixteen times and found the same result. We have successfully managed to contain a small space of gravitational energy."

"But I thought the Babylonians already learned to control gravity." Julie-Su added thoughtfully.

"Oh, far from it, my sweet."

Julie-Su resisted the urge to hiss, mostly due to Ix's imploring glare, and instead reluctantly turned to welcome the arrival of another of her echidna brethren. While most Nocturnus lose their color with age like the former imperator, Julie-Su knew this newcomer was roughly only a few years older than her daughter. He gained a reputation of being the only albino echidna in the tribe with his snow-white fur, black eyes with piecing-yellow irises, and the black birthmark around his collar. His garments consisted of a silver belt and a golden necklace, both carrying a crescent moon symbol, black gauntlets and braces with multiple golden rings, an unknown number of bandages wrapped around his hands and feet, a perpetual-black cape, and a pair of pince-nez glasses. While he was regarded for being unique in comparison to others of his race and for being an unofficial "Technomage", Julie-Su simply refused to accept the albino as one of them. Perhaps it was because of his appearance or the way he carried himself – she didn't know.

"Dr. Finitevus." An older female council member said with praise. "I'm not surprised that you would be at audience with your own discovery. Tell us, what is the difference between this and the Babylonian's technology."

"It's quite simple, my lady." Finitevus said sophisticatedly. "Why the tool created by the Babylonians can manipulate the gravitational energy, this…" He gently lifted the glass cube off the podium. "Is gravity purified – untouched, unhindered, raw energy. A completely new element. Why, this one sample alone could power an entire city for ten years."

"That's a lot of power for such a small thing." Julie-Su stated uncertainly; Finitevus smirked with pride. "And it's too much power for our tribe to contain. It should be sent to Babylon Garden for research and examination."

"What?" Finitevus and the council members exclaimed simultaneously; Ix was unusually silent.

"You can't possibly be serious!" An elderly member said outrageously. "This is the kind of discovery that could lead to endless possibilities for the Nocturne! Imagine what we could do with the kind of power!"

"Imagine what would happen if we did use it." Julie-Su as her eyes narrowed sternly. "Could we really use this new element without abusing it? Throughout history, Knuckles and Nocturne Tribe alike have sought to obtain a new means of strength and use it for conquest. The Master Emerald, the Gizoids – they were originally used for the betterment of mankind and ended up becoming tools of war that cost our homes and families."

All during the speech, the former imperator nodded in agreement with the bold council head. Having experienced consequences of abusing power firsthand, Ix didn't think these younglings were ready for such an event. Needless to say, none of the others were happy with the idea, especially Finitevus. There was a string of muttering that followed as Julie-Su awaited the answers of her fellow members. The cybernetic echidna hadn't felt this nervous since Ix first recommended her for the position as Head of the Nocturne Council during the government reformation. To this day, Julie-Su failed to understand why he did so. But the council members trusted her then and she only hoped they trusted her now. After what seemed like hours of constant debate (to Julie-Su, anyway), the oldest of the council turned to confront her.

"So how do you propose we transfer it?" The elder questioned.

"What?" Finitevus screamed in horror.

"Should we station our guards for a secure path?" The elder continued undisturbed.

"An armed delivery just screams 'rob me'." Julie-Su proclaimed, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "But it would make for a nice distraction. We could send the armed shipment to Babylon Garden as a decoy while a small covert team could take an alternate route undetected."

"I heard the son of Sonic the Hedgehog was in town." Ix added as an extra thought. "Perhaps he and his team could deliver it safely."

"You expect me to leave the most important discovery in the world in the hands of children?" Finitevus snarled aggressively.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Finitevus." Ix proclaimed, snatching the gravity element from the albino echidna with his scepter. "We will send the children on their ways as soon as preparations are done."

"But Jewel is currently injured from her last adventure." Julie-Su added worried. "We'll need to find a replacement."

"What about your daughter?" Ix questioned.

"I don't know…"

"Julie-Su…I know you are very protective of your daughter." Ix stated seriously. "And after everything that's happened in your past, that is understandable. But you can't shelter her forever."

"I know." Julie-Su said in a defeated tone. "All right, summon Lara-Su and her friends immediately."

With the order given, the Nocturne Council scattered to complete their own asks, leaving only Ix and the albino echidna. The former Procurator lingered only long enough for the Technomage to leer before turning away with a swish of his cloak. Dr. Finitevus curled his fingers and scowled with pure loathing. This was a problem that needed to be fixed – something needed to be done.

* * *

The final scene alternates to a small rural town nestled safely in the wonder grassland of the Green Hill Zone. But our attention is more focused on the oddity above it. Beyond the sea of fluffy white clouds, a scarlet-red zeppelin drifted across the sky leisurely. Those who could remember as far back as twenty years would recognize the genie's lamp surrounded by three swirled commas: the symbol of the infamous Babylon Rogues. It had been many years since the band of thieves had retired and, shockingly, went on to decent lives. Looks like someone wanted to follow in their footsteps. The central office within the Babylon Airship was decorated plainly with a mahogany desk and a couple of chairs. The only thing that stood out was the golden framed portraits of various avians, each with a stylized name beneath the picture. The row circled around the office starting with Rakis the Eagle and ended with Jet the Hawk – the entire line of Babylon leaders.

And settled proudly in the leather chair behind his desk was the currently leader of the infamous gang. He was a rich-purple hawk around twelve years of age with the casual bright-orange beak and twin rows of head feathers that formed a backwards 'V'. He clothing consisted of white boots with black laces and sapphire-blue outlines, a pair of plain gloves with red ring cuffs, a white belt with four pouches, and a necklace with a ruby sphere – a loving "gift" of his mother's. Being the son of Jet the Hawk, it came as no surprise that he managed to swipe his father's magic ring, despite the fact that it hasn't worked in years. The Babylon Leader yawned and stretched his arms in exaggeration – he was bored as hell.

"Man, how long does it take to run out and swipe a simple pizza." The hawk muttered. As if someone was listening, the phone lying on the far corner of the table rang and the avian answered. "Thunder, don't tell me you got lost again."

"Sorry to disappoint." A murky, garbled voice responded humorously. "I take it this is Gust the Hawk."

"Hey, this is a secure line." Gust said suspiciously. "How'd you get this number?"

"That's not important." The voice answered simply. "What is important is that I have a job that needs your attention."

"I'm not sure where you got this number." Gust said in a dignified tone. "But we're the Babylon Rogues, not hired goons."

"And that's exactly why I need you." The voice claimed. "You are the best thieves on this planet and I have use for your particular skills. I'm even willing to make it worth your while."

"Oh yeah." Gust said interestingly. "How much we talkin'?" He waited for a moment for the voice to respond; he nearly dropped out of his seat at the answer. "Whoa! How much? Buddy, I don't know who you are, but you've got yourself some thieves! Just tell me who the sucker is!"

"I believe you know him personally." The voice said smoothly. "His name is Rush the Hedgehog."

* * *

**A new journey starts a new mess of complications. Will Rush and his team be able to secure the new element? Will the Babylon Rogues walk away with their prize? And who is the one that hired them? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


	22. Egg Girl

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Chapter Twenty-One: Egg-Girl

Rush, Mia, Cherry, and their newest traveling partner, Lara-Su, were making their way through the echidna city of Nocturne after being summoned by the Head of the Nocturne Council. The twin-colored hedgehog had received the message earlier, but he wasn't able to answer the call until the next day due to a pair of problems that had emerged. The first sign of trouble was Jewel – she had insisted on joining them after a Nocturnus Elite had visited their home, insisting that they were assigned an important mission. Naturally, Jewel didn't like the idea of being stuck in bed for several more weeks and attempted to force her way through. In the end, Lara-Su managed to…"convince" her half-sibling to stay by strapping her to mattress. Team Rush – which the main hero humbly named – were discussing the second event that occurred as they made their way up the steps of the Citadel.

"That was the most amazing, spectacular adventure ever!" Rush exclaimed excitedly. "I feel sorry for anyone that missed it!"

"I'll admit, it's quite a tale." Lara-Su nodded impressively. "So you actually fought alongside your father back in his youth and eight other dimensional counterparts?"

"Yeah, Shred-Head never knew what hit him." Rush smirked deviously with his hands behind his head.

"I'm kinda wondering…" Mia hummed curiously; Cherry flopped on top of her head. "Whatever happened to that one person…um, Genocide, right?"

"I think he went back to Areno with my dad." Rush commented uncertainly. "I'm just glad to be rid of the guy – he was starting to creep me out."

"Starting?" Lara-Su snickered

As the heroes climbed the final steps of the unbelievably large construct, they were greeted by the Nocturne Council – a majority of whom Rush and Mia already met during their last visit – the former Imperator Ix, and the Finitevus the Technomage. The albino echidna narrowed his eyes with a mixture of loathing and mistrust, shooting the expression between the teenagers and his reluctant leader. Lara-Su marched past the younger warriors and stood before her mother, formally bowing to her superior. Mia and Cherry mimicked the action, but it took a good kick to the kneecaps before Rush understood to follow.

"High Councilwoman." Lara-Su said in a dignified manner. "You called for us?"

"Do we really have to use terms." Julie-Su scoffed amusingly. "I'm just your everyday Head of the Nocturne Council."

"Albeit, an unconventional one." Pir'Oth Ix proclaimed monotonously.

"Is there a point to all this?" Rush said rudely, looking particularly bored. "I just got back from a dimensional/fictional crossover adventure with my grandpa and eight versions of my dad. At least try to make this chapter interesting."

"Chapter?" A male council member repeated questionably. "What is he…"

"It's kind of a side effect from running into the Kingdom Hearts Sonic." Rush said nonchalantly; the crowd looked at him like he had grown eight heads – two isn't unusual these day. "After that whole multi-dimensional accident, all of us can break the fourth wall now."

"Fourth…what?" An older echidna female said dumbfounded, attempting to look for said wall.

"Overlooking the boy's obvious insanity." Finitevus remarked abrasively; Rush glowered. "I still have my doubts that we should entrust such an important discovery in the hands of three children and a floating tomato."

"Chao, chao, chao!" Cherry chirped heatedly.

"I can assure you, Finitevus, that they are perfectly capable." Julie-Su said stringently. "Rush has that same abilities as his father, though not at the same level as him. Mia is a child prodigy like her own father, making her particularly resourceful. And let's not forget that my own daughter has been trained in military combat for ten years." She briefly glanced in Ix's direction, who acted as if he hadn't noticed. "Notably due to someone's insistence."

"Besides, there is no reason for us to fear that they may find trouble." Ix interjected. "As planned, we have dispatched an armed caravan to draw attention away while Lara-Su and her covert team will find an alternate route to Babylon Garden."

"You mean there's not gonna be any action?" Rush whined, crossing his arm with a pout. "Man, this chapter sucks worse than the last one."

"Right…" Mia said slowly before facing the echidnas. "Whatever it is we're doing must be very important if you're going through all this trouble. What's the mission?"

"Our…technical expert, Dr. Finitevus, has created a new element." Julie-Su explained. During her explanation, Pir'Oth Ix summoned the cube of cosmic energy with his scepter, gently floating for all to see. "This is the new element of Gravity."

"Gravity?" Mia blinked amazingly; Cherry chirped curiously. "But I thought gravity was a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. The Babylonians learned how to distort the gravitational pull temporarily by reversing the ion energies in the physical body, allowing for what they call 'Gravity Dive'."

"How do you know all this?" Rush asked flabbergasted.

"I learned during my sophomore year in high school." Mia said proudly.

"You're in high school?" Rush exclaimed shockingly.

"Of course not…I'm a college freshman now." Mia giggled playfully; Rush's jaw literally dropped.

"Hmm, you are a considerably bright girl." Finitevus hummed thoughtfully; Mia blushed from embarrassment. "It's true that the Babylonians have learned to manipulate energy, but the Nocturnus has discovered a way to create pure, physical gravity. The kind of energy it contains is significantly greater than any power source known to man, animal, and anti-matter."

"Next to the Chaos Emeralds, Sol Emeralds, Nazo, Sonic, Shadow, the Sovereigns, the Black Arms, etc." Julie-Su counted off, relishing the expression of pure hate Finitevus sent. "But nonetheless, it is too great of a power for the echidnas to keep without abusing it. Your mission is to securely transport the Gravity Element to the Babylonian Queen…undetected."

"That's still lame." Rush commented.

"We will not failure you, High Coun – I mean, mother." Lara-Su said certainly.

Julie-Su smiled approvingly at her daughter. Ix had stepped forward with the Gravity Element, intending to hand it off the Gravity Element to the upcoming heroes, when a clattering sound was heard coming from the other end of the Citadel. Two odd shapes – a sphere and a cube – were spotted resting edge. The sphere was metallic-red with a black underside and the cube was designed in a similar way, only canary-yellow. Rush, Mia, Cheery, and the echidna exchanged glances of confusion while one of the young members of the council stepped up to the items, poking the cube on its side. The cube giggled.

"Hello…?" The council member said uncertainly.

The echidna leader jumped back in shocking, tripping over the hem of his cloak, as the cube suddenly popped up. The square was actually a miniaturized robot shaped in the same form of a cube, including yellow gloves with electronic mouth and eyes in neon-blue. The cube robot – Mia called it Cubot for future references – laughed playfully and waved at the group.

"Hello, how y'all doing?" Cubot asked politely.

The round object opened like its companion, taking the form of another miniaturized robot. Like it square counterpart, the machine was designed around a spherical base that included matching-red gloves and electronic mouth and eyes simulated in neon-blue lights. Cubot – once again named by Mia – sighed in an annoyed manner, palming his metallic face with his glove.

"My dear boy, you're not supposed to be friendly with them." Orbot said in a debonair tone.

"I'm not." Cubot replied stupidly.

"Um…Can we help you with something?" Lara-Su asked, uncertain whether to attack or call a mechanic.

"No, no, don't mind us." Orbot said hurriedly, flailing his arms exaggeratedly. "We were just…on our way to the beach."

"I thought we were supposed to distract them." Cubot stated in innocent confusion.

"Don't tell them that!" Orbot yelled exasperatedly.

"Distract us?" Rush repeated, tilting his head. "From what?"

"Gotcha!"

Well, you can't say it didn't work. Because they were too busy paying attention to the less-than-artificial-intelligent machines, Ix never noticed a silver claw dropping from the sky and snatching the Gravity Element. Thankfully, the thief wasn't the stealthy type. Team Rush and the echidna council quickly snapped back into focus and craned their heads skyward to follow the silver claw back to its source: a white hovercraft that slightly resembled an egg. Anyone who had ever read the history books (or television, in Rush's case) and one would be able to recognize the Egg-Mobile immediately. The heroes almost mistook the driver to be the infamous Eggman except there were two problems with that logic. 1) Ivo Robotnik was too old for this sort of business and retired. 2) The thief was a girl. Correction, she was a tall and slender woman in her Mid-20s with lengthy, bright orange hair that was tamed into a ponytail. Her clothing of choice consisted of a ruby-red jacket with white straps that hugged thinly against her bosom, a pair of tight, leather-black pants, black combat boots with white straps, and a pair of plain gloves. To finish her emulation of the iconic Eggman, the mystery woman held of blue-lensed glasses that were lowered to the bridge of her nose, allowing others to see her chocolate-brown eyes. With a mischievous smile, the Eggman impersonator worked the controls of the Egg-Mobile to bring the Gravity Element closer for inspection. Needless to say, she wasn't disappointed.

"Beautiful." The woman said wickedly. "Almost as beautiful as myself."

"Halt, witch!" Finitevus commanded; the woman inwardly groaned and stared over the edge of her vehicle. "The Gravity Element is the sole property of the Nocturnus Tribe! You have no right to take it!"

"Yeah, but I was never good at asking for permission." The woman snickered deviously.

"You're not good at a lot of things." Orbot commented; the woman threw a wrench out of nowhere. "Ow! What that really necessary?"

"Who are you?" Julie-Su interrogated bravely. "Seeing as how you've dressed up as Eggman, I'm guessing you must be a fan."

"I am more than a fan – I am his successor!" The woman proclaimed boisterously, standing in her personalized Egg-Mobile to bow as if she were being honored. "I am Emily Gyro, brilliant scientist and the one true successor of the brilliant Dr. Ivo Robotnik! For years I've dreamed of one day learning from the greatest mind in the world and one day taking his place as the unstoppable Eggwoman!"

"Is there such a thing as a reverse pedophile?" Lara-Su asked loftily, causing Gyro to nearly fall out of her seat.

"Not like that!" Emily Gyro screamed disgustedly.

"Cool, my own Eggman." Rush said excitedly. "I guess it's only natural since every hedgehog deserves their own."

"Ah, you must be Rush the Hedgehog." Emily Gyro said in realization. "Your father was always a thorn in prestigious predecessor's side and I have no doubt that you'll become a pest in the near future. Best to exterminate you while I have that chance."

"Bring it on, Egg-Girl!" Rush shouted in a challenging manner.

"You asked for – wait, what did you call me?" Gyro blinked dumbfounded.

"Egg-Girl, it has a nice ring to it." Rush explained casually.

"Do you have wax in your ears, rodent!" Egg-Girl sneered. "My name is Eggwoman!"

"Nah, Egg-Girl sounds a whole lot better." Rush shrugged.

"No, no, no!" Egg-Girl cried childishly, flailing her arms randomly. "It's Eggwoman, you…you…meanie!"

"Meanie? Seriously?" Julie-Su snorted amusingly; the younger heroes were on the ground laughing. "There is a whole world of insults, curses, and other profanity you could have said and you chose meanie?"

Shut up, you jerk!" Egg-Girl snapped, looking close to tears. "Egg-Elite, destroy them!"

Upon the summons, three shadowed blurs leaped into view and landed on opposite ends of the Citadel roof, forming a triangle between them. The Egg-Elites turned out to be much more advanced than the shapely forms of Cubot and Orbot, who had taken the opportunity to scurry back to their creator. The newcomers were finely-tuned mechanized warriors that were roughly the same size as average humans carrying three-pronged spears. Their limbs were formed from sleek-silver steel with black armor acting as their hands and feet, apple-red chest plates with sky-blue orbs stamped in the center, three-pronged yellow crested on their foreheads, and shades of red surrounding their neon-blue eyes. Even Mia, who was perhaps smarter than most people in the world, was overwhelmingly impressed by their design. They were obviously developed for agility rather than strength – Eggman had some serious competition.

"Sweet, my first robot fight." Rush grinned from ear-to-ear, shivering with anxiety.

"Stop enjoying this." Finitevus snarled loathingly. "I knew we never should have trusted children with something as important as this – they've lost the element before they even had it."

"Calm down, doc." Lara-Su said collectively, staring thoughtfully between the machines. "Though it is kinda strange."

"What? The fact that a girl actually has a thing for Eggman?" Rush said jokingly before gesturing his thumb to the albino echidna. "Or the fact that this guy looks like something out of a Frankenstein movie."

"Well, those are some good points." Lara-Su muttered offhandedly. "But the biggest question is how Egg-Girl knew that the Gravity Element was here instead of the caravan."

"Oh, I have my secrets." Egg-Girl cackled wickedly. "And it's Eggwoman! Egg-Elite, turn them into rugs!"

The mechanized warriors crouched low before leaping high into their air, wielding their javelins downward as they started to descend. Before the fight had even begun, Ix and Julie-Su had moved away from the center of the area and remained seated on the edge – predictably, the other council member hightailed it out of there. Rush quickly dashed out of the way, snatching Mia and Cherry by their napes, and Lara-Su elegantly flipped backwards before the three-pronged weapons cracked the cement. Readjusting her glasses, the bespectacled echidna jumped forward swinging her fist across the first Egg-Elite's face, causing it to release its javelin and stumble backwards. Shaking its head free from the dizziness, the Egg-Elite charged for Lara-Su, only to flip overhead before coming within reaching distance. The mechanical warrior landed facing the echidna's back with its fist reeled back to swipe. But amazingly enough, Lara-Su ripped the fallen javelin from the concrete, skillfully twirled the shaft, and twisted around to avoid the blow. The combination ended with the Egg-Elite losing its right hand as the three-pronged spear sliced through its gauntlet. They may have been designed to be excellent fighters, but they just weren't good enough for Lara-Su…or nearly as smart. The mechanized warrior stared stunningly at the loss of its hand, never noticing the echidna until she stabbed the machine with its own javelin through its back. The Egg-Elite sparked for a moment before a loud hummed passed through its body and slowly went off line.

"Unbelievable." Egg-Girl sighed irritably. "Who's the idiot that gave the Egg-Elite thought processors?" She and Orbot stared meaningfully at one another before looking to Cubot, who waved unknowingly. "Why am I not surprised?"

"It can't be worse than the time you tried to turn the toaster into a dog." Orbot commented lazily.

"I said never to bring that up again!" Egg-Girl shrieked.

"Your robots aren't going to win, Egg-Girl." Lara-Su stated seriously, ignoring the revived screams of the woman. "If you return the Gravity Element, we will…" She was cut off when Cherry accidentally bumped into her, casing her glasses to fall off. The echidna warrior instantly dropped down to search for them. "My glasses! I can't see a thing without my glasses!"

"That's a weird way to make a reference." Rush commented, ducking under the Egg-Elite's spear.

Mia and the twin-colored hedgehog were working back-to-back with the mechanical warriors stabbing their weapons on opposite sides. Only by working together were they able to simultaneously dodging both of the Elites. As Rush's target slashed across the air, Rush ducked down while kicking Mia in the back of the ankle, causing her to fall to the ground with her head still attached. While she was still on the ground, the rabbit's eyes were wide as her own Egg-Elite pulled back its javelin to skewer them both through. Mia quickly rolled to the side, using her hereditary long ears to push her best friend out of the way before the mechanical warrior could strike. Thankfully, the tactic worked in more ways than own. At the time the warrior stabbed ahead, its duplicated companion had pulled back its weapon for a swinging motion, leaving it vulnerable for attack. The Egg-Elite pierced through the orb in its partner's chest, immediately disconnecting the power to the robot. And with the opportunity presenting itself, Mia tumbled back to her feet as she jabbed her hands into her pockets. The technically genius retrieved a pair emerald-green disks with yellow circuitry on the surface. She tossed the disks, showing remarkable skill as the disks slapped against the machine's chest and forehead. A momentary spark passed over the Egg-Elite upon contact, earning a spontaneous twitch from the robot, before it dropped face-first into the ground. All of its power had been drained.

"Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it?" Egg-Girl said sourly.

"Not really." Orbot remarked. "You never were good at planning…well, anything."

"Grr, who asked you!" Egg-Girl snapped.

"It's over, Egg-Girl." Ix said besides Mia; Julie-Su helped her daughter recover her glasses. "You solders have been defeated. Return the Gravity Element at once or else."

"Or else what?" Egg-Girl challenged.

"Do you really want to know?"

Egg-Girl and Orbot stiffened – Cubot had become reoccupied with counting his fingers. Turning around in her seat, Egg-Girl spotted Rush standing overhead on the edge of her precious Egg-Mobile. With a conniving grin that could only equal trouble, Rush bounded across the hovercraft, taking a moment to jump off of each villain's head – Cubot never noticed. And for good measure, the twin-colored hedgehog smashed his foot through the control console before diving after the element. He successfully pried the gravity cube out of the Egg-Mobile's grip and dropped back to the citadel, spinning in his ball form before touching down. He always loved to show off. The consequence of Rush's actions was made known when the Egg-Mobile began sparking haphazardly before shooting off into the skyline with Egg-Girl and her minions in tow.

"Catch ya later, Egg-Girl!" Rush called, waving teasingly into the distance.

"EGGWOMAN!" Egg-Girl screamed before she disappeared over the horizon.

"Well, that was…interesting." Mia said with uncertainty.

"Chao, chao." Cherry chirped, scratching his bald head.

"Hey, it made this chapter a lot less suckish." Rush said proudly; a majority of the group ignored the last part. The twin-colored hedgehog tossed the Gravity Element between his hands with interest. "Now that I've got my own Eggman, I definitely deserve hero status."

"We'll leave that up for debate." Julie-Su chuckled amusingly. "But now that Egg-Girl realizes that you have the Gravity Element, you will be in more danger than we originally intended. She will stop at nothing until its power has been made her own. We had hoped that we would be able to transfer the element without trouble, but I guess that was a pipedream."

"It wouldn't have worked anyway." Lara-Su proclaimed enthusiastically. "With Rush around, a day without getting blown up is like a day without sunshine."

"Where have I heard that before?" Rush hummed, stroking his chin.

"We'll get the element to Babylon Garden, mother." Lara-Su said boldly. "I swear son my birthright."

Julie-Su wanted to argue that maybe they should go with more protection, but she realized that more than half of the team would disagree. Rush was too eager to go on dangerous adventures and to become a hero like his father. Mia would have been more sensible, but had complete faith in the hedgehog and Cherry would have mimicked his master. And then there was her daughter – hers and Knuckles' daughter. If Julie-Su had learned anything in her child's sixteen years of life, it was that she was naturally skilled like her mother, but had her father's hardheaded personality. They made the perfect bullheaded team. So with reluctance apparent, Julie-Su wished the children good luck and watched them disappear down the stairway of the citadel – Rush left a trail of smoke in his wake.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Julie-Su grimaced.

"How long have you been in this business?" Ix replied sarcastically; Julie-Su hanged her head in defeat.

* * *

The scene alternates to an open country road that was marked halfway between Nocturne and Babylon Garden. The caravan that had been delivering the decoy treasure was armed with multiple protections: six armored trucks, twelve high-powered tanks, one hundred Nocturne soldiers, and even a few hired assassin and bounty hunters. And shockingly enough, it only took four minutes to beat them all. Gust the Hawk stood in the aftermath of the previous battle, standing victoriously on the unconscious body of a cheetah that had proven to be particularly troublesome. The Leader of the Babylon Rogues was waiting outside the overturned truck with a purple/white Extreme Gear board tucked under his arm. While his patience was growing thin, Gust looked over to find his comrade looting the truck that supplied the caravan's rations.

He was large and rotund albatross at the age of fourteen with steely-grey feathers and a pattern of white feathers that almost resembled lightning bolts. He had a mess of head-feathers that jutted backwards from his head, an orange beak, and a pair of violet-purple eyes. His attire was made from orange sneakers with white laces and black cuffs, a pair of orange gloves with black circles on the back, a pair of orange goggles with yellow lenses, and – you guessed it – an orange gem hanging around his neck. The hulking albatross jumped with glee as he unveiled a bag of potato chips from the storage.

"All right! Barbecue!" The albatross cheered. "The king of all chip flavors!"

"Thunder, stop stuffing your face." Gust shook his head disapprovingly. "We're on a mission, here."

"But…they're barbecue." Thunder moaned weakly, reluctantly returning the package.

"Tang, are ya done in there?" Gust yelled impatiently.

"Babylon Garden wasn't built in a day you know!" A feminine voice snapped. "These things take time!"

"Well, hurry up!" Gust demanded, jumping down from the mound of comatose soldiers. "This is the biggest score we've ever gotten and I'm not gonna let you blow it because you're too slow with the techno stuff."

"Why don't you say that to my – Augh, finally!" The female said irritably; a soft hissed was heard from the vehicle. "Now let's see what we've – oh, for the love of…"

That didn't sound too good. And it only got worse when the third member of the Babylon Rogues emerged from the truck empty-handed with a very pissed expression. Unlike any Babylon Rogue – past or present – the female of the group was not a bird or any type of flying creature. She was an eleven-year-old rabbit with creamy-colored skin, but had patches of mint-green over her eyes, forehead, and the tips of her lengthy ears. She wore a sleeveless, emerald-green top with the white symbol of Babylon stamped on the back, a pair of black shorts supported by a leather belt, green/white sneakers with metal soles, plain gloves with electronic cuffs, and an emerald-green headband to keep her ears constricted. Tang the Rabbit – half-sister to Cream and aunt to Mia. The rabbit rogue sighed in an annoyed fashion as she stepped up to her leader, tapping up button on her left cuff that summoned a holographic computer.

"It looks like we were set up." Tang complained, rapidly typing into the hologram without missing a beat. "I managed to hack into the mainframe of the Nocturne communication router. At exactly 16:28:54 PM today, a message was received from Nocturne that the real package was being picked up by a separate group and they would be able to head back when the transfer was complete."

"It was a decoy?" Thunder said amazed; Tang nodded.

"Then it looks like the boss was right." Gust muttered gravely, walking away from the team. "I was hoping he was just trying to make things harder."

"Wait, you knew?" Tang glowered, closing the holographic computer. "You knew this the wrong delivery and you still went ahead with it? Those guys almost killed me four times!"

"You all right, boss." Thunder said sympathetically; Tang groaned loudly. "You don't usually lose track of things like this. Is it something about the other group?"

"In a way…yes." Gust said lowly, facing his team again. "Did I ever tell you what I did before I restarted the Babylon Rogues?"

* * *

**New mission, new enemy, same story. How will the appearance of the new Egg-Girl affect Rush's journey? Will Team Rush succeed in protecting the Gravity Element? And what mysteries lie in Gust's past? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, please, please, read and review.**

**Please.**


	23. A Gap in Time

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Gap in Time

Night had fallen rather quickly for the temporary Team Rush, but their progress was dismal. The journey to Babylon Garden was twice as long from Nocturne than it was from the South Kingdom – Rush could have closed the distance easily. But because the rest of his team couldn't keep up and didn't trust him to hold the Gravity Element, the _Ventus spark_ grudged slowed down to match their pace. By the time they had stopped to set camp, they were still only a quarter of the way there. But Rush learned that pushing Jewel to do something she didn't like only resulted in black eyes and broken bones. And since Lara-Su was older, he wasn't taking any chances. They decided to stop and settle in a small grove for the night; provided with good cover in case Egg-Girl wanted to go for round two. Gathered around a campfire made by Mai and Cherry, the team decided to spend the rest of the waking night the best way they knew how: telling superhero stories.

"And so he set out across the globe, searching for new teachers." Rush said dramatically; shadows flickered across his expression from the firelight. "And when he would return, he would strike fear into the heart of the criminal element as a guardian angel of the night. And thus, a new age was born."

"Wow…" Lara-Su said slowly; Rush grinned smugly. "That was incredibly…stupid." The hedgehog facefaulted into the grass with a wounded ego. "That's not the secret origin of the Batman."

"It is kinda unorthodox." Mia commented with Cherry chirping in the background. "Why would a rich family be walking into a place called Crime Alley in the middle of the night into the darker parts of town? And where does the bat motif come in?"

"Hey, you got any complaints; take it up with Bob Kane." Rush grimaced as he sat down, looking in the direction of the audience. "You guys can back me up, right." A moment of silence passed with Lara-Su and Mia exchanging awkward glances. "See, even the readers say I'm right."

"Who's he talking to?" Mia whispered to the echidna.

"The better question is…" Lara-Su replied in a hushed tone. "Who's answering him?"

"Man, you guys are the worst audience ever." Rush frowned. He leaned backwards onto the nearest log, staring distantly at the diamond stars across the night sky. "You know, all this talk 'bout superheroes kinda make me think about Dad's team: The Sonic Heroes." He turned his head to the girls. "When you think about it, what really happened after they split up?"

"Don't you remember?" Mia blinked oddly; she was helping Cherry unpack the sleeping bags. "They were dragged to another dimension to help save another world. And then they were transported to an alternate universe of our own before coming back home."

"And after that, they went into space to save the universe." Lara-Su continued, patting some fallen leaves together to make a semi-comfortable mattress. "Then there was the final war between Pein and the Dark Siege. That's one battle that no one will ever forget."

"I'm talkin' 'bout what happened after that." Rush said with dissatisfaction. "They say the Sonic Heroes retired after the Dark Siege, but then who took care of the world after them? Who was there to stop guys like Mephiles and Black Doom from comin' back?"

"Actually…there is a large gap in history between the Dark Siege…and the day Rush was born." Mia informed the others; her hand resting on her chin thoughtfully. "None of the history books talk about that period and I never really bothered to ask about my parents."

"I was too little to remember anything back then." Lara-Su added to the hopeful stares. She nestled herself against her handmade leaf-bed, trying to find a comfortable position. "We've got a long way to go until we reach Babylon Garden, so I suggest you get some sleep while you can."

Mia didn't need to be told twice – she and Cherry were already knocked out in their respective sleeping bags. Lara-Su sighed contently as her exhaustion carried her into the blissful oblivion of sleep. Rush was the only one still up at the time, gazing into the depths of space without even knowing what he was looking for. Rush had never thought about the time after the Sonic Heroes Era before, but something in the back of his head urged him to ask. The twin-colored hedgehog never even knew about the history gap. Was it just pure coincidence that all of it happened before his birth. Once again, something nudged in his brain and it sounded like it was…growling? Shaking his head, the hedgehog turned on his log and slowly closed his eyes with a soft sigh of relief.

* * *

Rush felt oddly strange – well, stranger than usual. His body felt light it was being weighed down by ten-thousand tons of stone, which might explain the throbbing sensation pulsating through his muscles. There were noises; screams and explosions intensified in the background. Rush somehow managed to gather enough strength to lift his eyelids, finding his surroundings drastically different from when he went to sleep. What once seemed to be prestigious builds were reduced to mounds of granite and dirt – the overwhelming skyscrapers in the background were fractured beyond belief. Broken pipes were ripped from the ground, patches of metalwork were contorted into impossible positions, and, amazingly enough, webs of vines were twisted around everything they could reach. Rush grunted as he pushed himself up, trying hard to ignore his screaming tendons. Rubbing the forming bruise on his arm, the _Ventus spark _cast a weary gaze over the ruins of city. If he didn't known better, Rush would have thought he was in Station Square. But that was impossible since the city was destroy twelve years ago. Suddenly, he vision fell on patch of fresh grass that seemed oddly out of place surrounded by rubble and debris. Something was lying in the grass; it wasn't moving.

"No…" Rush said softly, not have the slightest idea why. "Please, dear god, no!"

Rush stepped and stumbled awkwardly, pushing aside the pain threating to tear his body apart just to reach the inanimate object. But from a closer distance, Rush soon realized that it wasn't an object. The _Ventus spark_ dropped forcibly to his knees – not the best idea in his opinion – and only stared horrifically at the woman that now rested peacefully in the pasture. She was a beautiful butterfly with an unusual moss-green pigment and hot-pink hair that touched her shoulders. Rush would have loved to examine her further – her only consisted of vines and leaves covering her feminine parts – when he felt an overwhelming wave of sorrow. The strange woman wasn't moving, twitching, or showing any signs that she was with them. It didn't take long for him to realize that she had…passed on. Once again, his body seemed to move of its own accord as he slowly lifted the butterfly's upper body off the ground and held her securely in his arms. And if thing could get any weirder, Rush's fur was sky-blue instead of it regular cobalt color.

"Wallflower." Rush murmured in a restricted tone. "Wallflower…I'm so sorry. I should have…"

"Sky, get down!"

The sky-blue hedgehog (he thought he was a hedgehog) instinctively knew his name was Sky and quickly ducked his head as a blur of orange and black flew overhead, smashing into one of the fragmented buildings. Rush stared at the spot for a moment until his ears perked at a continually thudding noise coming from the background. The _Ventus spark_ nearly wet himself when an enormous steel rhino was stampeding in his direction. Rush quickly picked up Wallflower's corpse and jumped into the air, leaping over the metallic animal in a single bound. The armored beast followed the two with his eyes, not paying attention to where he was going. That was a typically bad move especially when a wall of solid rock ripped from the ground blocked the rhino's path. The armored animal smashed through the wall without much effort, but the collision surprised him and lost his footing. And before he knew it, a pillar of stone sprung jumped into his chest, shooting the metal behemoth across the area. Rush slowly touched back to the ground after an extended period of time and looked back over to find that the orange and black smear from earlier was a female tiger. And for some reason or another, Rush wasn't the least bit worried about the neon-brown markings tattooed across her body.

"Sky, what are you doing?" Fissure – Rush somehow knew her name – growled impatiently, leaping on top of the newly formed stone pillar. "Get your head in the game! Star, Riptide, and Mute are trying to hold off Horus and Chrome nearly flattened you to a pancake!"

"But Wallflower…" Rush said mournfully, referring to his deceased friend. "She's…"

"She's gone, Sky." Fissure said without emotion. "There's nothing left we can do for her. The best we can do is to stop Horus and the traitors."

"Traitor is such a nasty word." The duo snapped their attention to the dirty-black panther sitting squatting on one of the higher ledges – Marrow. "We prefer to be called freedom fighter. We just decided that our freedom is more important than yours."

"Filthy bitch." Fissure sneered.

"Ah, Fissure said a bad word." Marrow chuckled sadistically. "Daddy must punish."

The malevolent feline slapped his hands together with and maniacal grin as patches of neon-orange tattoos began spreading across his body. When bringing his hands apart, a sphere of gelatinous-looking energy formed in between. Marrow sharply thrust his hands forward, sending the plasma orb flying for Fissure. The _Terra spark _quickly raised her hands to the air, summoning a wall of Earth to separate them. It only worked momentarily as the plasma started melting a gaping hole in the stone. With a hard grunt, Fissure pushed the construct to smash again Marrow's ledge; the feline in question jumped off moments before the collision. Quickly noting that the _Cruor spark _was collecting more plasma energy in the air, Rush felt a sudden tingling feeling at the base of his spine. This feeling was eerily familiar. A patch of neon-white tattoos appeared on his fur like the others and punch his fist in Marrow's direction. For some explained reason, the panther was knocked off balance in midair as if someone had punched him in the face. Marrow landed on top of a tilted billboard, tearing through the plaster and scratching against the rubble below. Rush and Fissure dashed over to the sight – it took some persuasion to leave Wallflower's corpse behind – but chose to keep their distance.

"That...wasn't very nice…Sky." Marrow panted, clumsily forcing himself back up. "Now…now I'm gonna make you hurt real bad. I'm gonna rip your skin off and then…" His ears twitched before looking to the left. "Aw, crap."

Famous – or infamous in this case – last words before a beam of white light speared through his chest. The one that had committed the act was a lovely, white swan with neon-indigo patterns tracing her form hovering loftily above them. Those tattoos seemed to be a popular fad, thought Rush. But out of the believed-to-be-hedgehog's eyes, he thought he saw a faint wisp of orange withering away from the deceased villain; no one else seemed to notice this.

"You didn't need to do that, Angel." Fissure said indignantly. "I could have handled him myself."

"There's no time for macho heroism." Angel said with a stern, but gentle tone. "Things are worse than we thought. Frostbite and my brother, Eclipse, have shown their true colors and are now fighting alongside Horus."

"I never liked that Bastard." Fissure commented roughly.

"Star, Mute, and Riptide are trying to hold out, but they're losing." Angel stated with urgency. "Where is Wallflower?"

"Dead." Rush answered shortly.

"Oh…I'm sorry." Angel with sincere sympathy. "Sky, I know how much she meant to…" The floating avian was unexpectedly cut off by a grey, black-spotted cheetah landed between her comrades. "Volt!"

"Hey, Angel, what's say we go someplace quiet?" Volt said with a mischievous smirk.

Before Rush or Fissure had a chance of moving, the cheetah warrior glowed with neon-yellow tattoos and leaped for the _Lumen spark _at lightning speed. No, really, the guy looked like a lightning bolt when tackling Angel out of the air. The two tucked and rolled for a moment until Volt managed to pin the woman below him. This lasted until the winged warrior was able to pressure her feet into his chest and flipped him over, taking flight at the first opportunity. Rush and Fissure would have liked to help, but they seemed to have forgotten a two-ton steel rhino from earlier. A fact they were reminded of when the armored beast found some way to sneak up behind them and hurtle them into the air in a single charge.

* * *

Alternating to another section of the ruined city, things were only getting worse – like that's even possible. On one side of the rocky terrain, a trio consisting of a jade-green turtle, a white ferret with wooden-brown stripes, and copper-brown eagle were taking cover behind an upturned slab of concrete. The ferret, now possessing neon-teal markings, stretched her head around the side and released a pulse of sonic vibrations from his mouth. His target was tan-furred, female cougar wearing neon-cyan tattoos, but was sadly disappointed when the sonic boom was blocked by a wall of ice created from the cougar's hands. As the frozen construct shattered, the chilly feline was replaced by a deep-purple raven with neon-black symbols. The menacing bird only watched with a lack of emotion before slowly bringing his hand to chest-level. This motion somehow contorted his shadow and peeled darkness off the ground, separating it into eight spear-tipped tendrils. The teal-marked _spark _was barely pulled back in time by his eagle with the dark weapons barely missing his left ear by a whisker.

"Keep your head down!" The eagle – Star – hissed insistently. He listened as the enemy continued their attack on their shelter and occasionally his team retaliating. "Frostbite and Eclipse are powerful on their own, but with Horus on their side, we don't stand a chance."

"Then what do you suggest, O fearless leader?" The turtle, now coated in neon-blue, remarked scathingly.

"Mute, Angel is going to need some helping shaking off Volt." Star ordered with strict authority. "Fissure and Sky can handle Chrome, but Angel is at a disadvantage. Perhaps you can level the playing field?" The silent ferret nodded and dashed away, ducking under the bands of darkness showering over him. "Ready for one last round, Riptide."

"Always." Riptide nodded bracingly.

"Gathering your troops for a collective strike." Star furrowed his brow and chanced a look over the debris. An orange salamander with impressive gilder armor and neon-red symbols stood between his subordinates. "You are fortunate enough to have the Chaos Spark that controls gravity, but you are afraid to face me." He chuckled sardonically. "Then again, I know better than to underestimate you."

"Horus, you were once a great hero – Sonic himself chose you to be a part of this." Star uttered, looking more resentful with every word. "Now you're nothing more than the scum we face."

"Your words tear at my heart." Horus said tauntingly. "So I guess I'll just have to tear away at yours." He gestured a hand to the expressionless raven. "Eclipse, lend a hand to our dear Chrome, will you?"

"Yes, sir." Eclipse said monotonously.

"Hey, your fight is with us, punk!" Riptide exclaimed heatedly.

Sucking in a deep breath that expanded his stomach, the _Aqua spark _lurched forward and called upon a heavy of geyser of water from his gullet. The pressure from the shot alone would be enough to cleave a man in two, but Eclipse just kept moving on without sparing a glance. And with good reason, too. The water jet never made contact with its target due to a chilling wind that passed over them, freezing liquid in seconds. Riptide growled to Eclipse's departing backside, but soon shifted his glare to the cougar standing at her leader's side – her hands coated in a chilly fog. Frostbite always did know how to piss him off.

"That's where you are wrong, Riptide." Horus proclaimed in a superior tone. He raised his right hand for all to see; embers slithered between his fingers. "Our fight is with the world."

* * *

Back with Rush, the thought-to-be-hedgehog was thrown backwards into one of the few lampposts still standing, bending the metal on impact. The _Ventus spark _only had enough time to shake off the ringing in his skull before he realize that the rhino – Chrome – was making another charge. His glowing marks once again active, Rush pulled his legs close to his chest and kicked at the rhino's chest once he was close enough. The kick was like a raging whirlwind that sent Chrome somersaulting twenty feet in the air – armor and all – before landing a distance away with vibrating thud. The steel-coated beast grunted heavily as he ripped himself out of the crater he made, but was suddenly pushed down by a weight on his chest. Fissure's features contorted to an ugly sneer while she pressed her foot against her former comrade's cheek. The metallic titan reached one of his hefty hands to grasp the woman's leg, content on snapping the bone in two. A sharp _crack _echoed. Fissure and Chrome stared back at one another – one expressionless, one terrified. Shakily, Chrome lifted his head just enough to see a stone stalagmite piercing through his abdomen. The rhino's eyes rolled to the back of his head at the same time his tattoos evaporated into a silver mist and his metal armor separated from his skin. Rush had only walked up to the site when Fissure pulled her leg free; a disgusted look crossed her face.

"A bit harsh, don't ya think?" Rush with uncertainty.

"And you think Horus would show us any mercy?" Fissure retorted. She climbed out of the crater to face him directly, gesturing a hand around them. "Wake up and smell the carnage, Sky! This is war now: it's kill or be killed!"

"But killing out angry isn't how we do things." Rush stated insistently, grabbing her hand to prevent her from doing anything reckless. "I'm not saying that we can avoid killing Horus and the others. But if we do, it will be because we are protecting the world, not out of our own feelings."

"Is that more of your 'ancient wisdom' crap?" Fissure scowled.

"If you let your anger take control, you'll only regret it later." Rush said wisely; now he knew this was a dream. "That's what separates us from them."

"Maybe not as much as you think." Fissure replied with conviction.

Rush could see it in her eyes: she wanted to kill them. She didn't care who or what got in her way as long as she could rip apart the traitors down to their molecules. Somewhere in the back of the thought-to-be-hedgehog's mind, he could recall that Fissure was particularly close to Frostbite and even held feelings for Horus. Now he realized why she was so angry. Of everyone, Fissure was hurt the most by this open act of betrayal. Rush opened his mouth to speak some words of sympathy, but was kinda distracted by the black needle that popped out of Fissure's skull. Fissure's expression was frozen, but her eyes were wide in realization. Five larger tentacles of darkness speared through her wrists, ankles, and chest while Rush fell backwards from the initial shock. And just like that, the _Terra spark _was ripped in six different directions – crimson rained over the ground and a faint mist of brown filter the air briefly. Still rather shaken from the experience, Rush slowly pushed himself up and faced Eclipse, who was recalling the black tendrils back to his shadow.

"Fissure…" Rush started hyperventilating.

We both knew this day was coming, Sky." Eclipse said without feeling, holding his palm to Rush's direction. "But I doubt either of us would have expected it to come so soon."

The shadows came alive again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Angel was gliding through the wasteland of dirt and rubble in an effort to avoid Volt's lightning shots. If there was one thing she could compliment him on, it was his persistence, but not his aim. Being the _Fulgur spark _– Volt really hated that title – he was wild and unfocused, making it impossible for him to concentrate on a target. Angel raised her arms in defense once one of the stray bolts blasted apart the wall she had flown next to. His lightning blasts were striking were getting closer as time wore on – it was time to take the offensive. The winged warrior turn in the air, shaping her hands in a circle while collecting light particles from the atmosphere. Volt halted from his chase instantly, already having a vague idea what she was planning. Unfortunately, Volt heavily outmatched her in terms of speed. The eccentric feline wrapped himself in a field of static energy and vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving only traces of electrical energy in his wake. The next thing she knew, Angel was pinned to the ground – her arms and legs bound and spread in different directions. Angel was afraid, but did not show it. Especially since Volt's face was only a breath away from her own.

"I've always been curious." Volt said in a lustful tone, slowly brushing his hands over her shoulder. "Your superhero name is Angel, but I wonder if you're as pure as one."

"Don't touch me, monster." Angel stammered, turning her gaze away from him.

"Oh, I'm a monster, all right." Volt chuckled savagely; he grabbed her chin forced their eyes to meet. "And you're about to find out why in a moment."

The immoral cheetah closed the gap between their mouths, ignoring the swans whimpering cries. If anything, it only made him more excited as his hand moved lower down her prosperous body. Salty tears rolled down her cheeks as the lightning beast reached her bosom, praying to some God that this would stop. And those who are faithful are always rewarded. Before Volt could have a chance to go any further, a thunderous shriek shattered the atmosphere and sent the _Fulgur spark _flailing across the dirt. Angel was panted heavily with tear still blocking her view until a gentle hand wiped them away. Mute smiled peacefully as he cut the ropes that bound her, taking the frightened avian into his arms.

"Oh, Mute…" Angel sobbed softly, burying her face into his chest. "Thank you…thank you…"

"…" Mute remained silent, but softly brushed his fingers against her cheek; Angel always loved that.

"You just had to spoil everything don't ya?" Volt complained, pushing the debris off of him. "Taking credit for the mission in Bailya, always suckin' up to the boss, and stealing my girl!" Angel grimaced at the notion; she detested Volt now more than before. "And you know what I hate most: your name! You're the spark of sounds, but you're a mute! What the hell is up with that?"

"It's over, Volt." Angel glared, nestling further into the ferret's chest. "You've never beaten Mute before."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, sweetie." Volt grinned sadistically.

Mute furrowed his brow in wonderment at the statement, but his sensitivity to sounds quickly alerted him. Something was moving closer; snapping and rumbling like rolling thunder. And at the same time, the once clear skylines were growing darker with each second. Very soon, all battles were stopped and all Chaos Sparks were visibly curious to the black clouds circling the battle field. Volt – his entire body cackling with wild electric energy – could not stop grinning even with all the strain that was being placed on his body. The _Fulgur spark _seemed to be control weather current through sheer force of will – a feat he had never accomplice without the _Ventus spark. _Mute and Angel only stared with stunned expressions as seven funnel cloud began shaping over the battlefield. The moment was upon them.

"Volt, sto…!"

"**Zeus's Judgment!**" Volt screamed.

The last thing anyone could remember was seeing seven bolts of lightning striking the Earth.

* * *

How long had it been? Days? Years? Centuries? For Rush, it felt like a millennium had passed since he regained any feeling in his nerves. His body had already been used as a practice dummy from an unspecified amount out time and it didn't know how long it would be before his body finally gave out. The intensity seemed to be worse in his left lung. Using what little strength he had left, Rush pried his left eye open – he seemed to have lost all feeling in the right optical. The believed-to-be-a-hedgehog gasped hoarsely due to the thickening smoke that he had unintentionally inhaled. Station Square may have been it terrible shape before the blast, but at least it was still standing. Now all that remained was a chasm of concrete and metal with the scent of death lapping over the grounds. That part was more than likely due to the wide range of corpse littered around. Rush could already determine the dead from a simple glance over. Mute had used his body to shield Angel, but it wasn't enough to save her life. Riptide remained a charred on the ground while Star was buried until a pile of broken metal – only his hand was visible. Frostbite had also suffered consequence from Volt's action. With her shirt ripped away and a black burn covering a majority of her chest, Rush came to the conclusion that the lightning had struck her directly. The electric megalomaniac himself had suffered the worst of all of them. The largest part of him to be found in the sea of bloodstains was a single grey hair – he had literally ripped himself apart.

"Star…Mute…Angel…" Rush murmured remorsefully; the pain in his chest was getting worse. "My friends…they're all…they're all gone."

"Not all of them." Rush narrowed his eyes to Eclipse, who was standing unharmed a few feet to the right. It was cruel that he – the lord of shadows – would be allowed to survive, but not his friends. "I would advise against moving. It would seem that your ribcage had been ripped open at your lungs are suffering from failure."

Rush looked down and, sure enough, he found himself leaning against a slab of cement with a metal pipe exposed through his abdomen.

"Eclipse…help me." Rush pleaded.

"I wish I could, but I can't." Eclipse answered emotionlessly. "I regret to say that Horus had defeated me previous and forced me to swear loyalty to his cause. I am honor bound to serve him." He shot a sideways glance to Angel departed vessel. "Angel was my sister – I loved her. I would have never wished this fate upon her. But I didn't have a choice."

"You always have a choice." Rush said; his breathing was becoming unsteady. "Eclipse, you can still make things right. If you help me, we can take down Horus together."

"I can't." Eclipse answered. "I must obey him."

"He's only going to betray you." Rush stated certainly.

"Indeed, I am."

Eclipse lost all tense of his emotionless façade and appeared genuinely surprised when a hand of flames speared through his chest. The dark raven made a short chocking sound before going limp with Horus tossing the _Umbra spark _away like yesterday's trash – a black mist withered from his lifeless body. Clapping his hands free of dirt and grime, Horus turned to face the last of his enemies. As to be expected, the _Ignis spark _had emerged alive, if only critically bleed from nearly every part of his body. But Horus never let a minor injury like this stop him from his goal.

"You always know me too well." Horus chuckled, setting himself face-to-face with his final adversary. "Know your enemies more than you know yourself. I believe that was the first lesson I taught you when you joined the Sonic Heroes."

"My teacher was a good man and a better leader." Rush hissed, both from dislike and pain. "You…you're nothing more than psychopath."

"A psychopath that will soon have everything." Horus proclaimed, swiftly wrapping one of his hands around the boy's neck. "I bet your wondering why I decided to betray the Sonic Heroes after everything we've been through."

"The thought crossed my mind a bit." Rush replied with a restricted voice, though seeming to be more interested in the background.

"Imagine, the strength of the gods in our hands, yet we use them to serve humanity." Horus began with a grimace; never noticing the _Ventus spark's _shifty gaze. "Sure, being a hero had its perks, but then I realize something. Why are we the ones cleaning up their mess – they should be bending over backwards to fulfill our desires. I shared my thoughts with Star on the subject."

"I take it didn't go over well." Rush said distractedly; his eyes seemed to have settled over the salamander's shoulder.

"He certainly had his suspicions." Horus continued disappointedly. "After that, Star kept a close eye on me in case I would try something – even began picking out teammates he knew would help him if a rift grew between us. I knew I had to gather some allies of my own, but more than anything, I needed to get my hands on the Chaos Sparks. If the Red Dragon gives me the strength of a god, imagine what would happen if I had all thirteen."

"So you killed them." Rush glared. "Set them against each other and picked them off one-by-one. And once they were dead, the Chaos Sparks would be free for you to collect. You knew very well that Wallflower was never a fighter."

"Which is why she needed to go." Horus proclaimed causally; a blind rage threatened consume Rush. "But don't worry. You'll be joining your lovely girlfriend soon enough."

With each word, the _Ventus spark _could feel Horus's hand growing hotter. The waves of heat he was sending off was quickly biting away at his fur and starting to blister through the skin into his esophagus. He could feel his blood literally boil and starting to clog up in his jugular vein – Rush's brain started feeling fuzzy and his vision becoming blurry. But he needed to stay alive just a second longer. Despite his current inability to pump blood to his limbs properly, Rush somehow found the nerve to lift his hand and lay it flat against Horus's chest. The salamander looked down in curiosity. This was his greatest and final mistake. Summoning his neon-white tattoos, the _Ventus spark _commanded a powerful gust of wind to push against Horus's chest, flinging him away. As it turns out, Rush's aim was to throw the _Ignus spark _with enough strength that he would be thrown into a thin sheet of metal exposed in the ground and slice him in two. And as the believed-to-be-hedgehog watched Horus's lower body being separated from his torso, he deemed it a success.

"Always be mindful to your environment." Rush said chokingly; the blood had stopped pumping to his brain. "Just…one last thing…to do."

Rush had long given up trying to figure out why his body and mouth were acting on their own, but even he couldn't believe how stupid he was acting. With a sharp hiss, the _Ventus spark _pushed himself against the slab behind him and slid off the broken pipe – it glistened ruby-red. Clutching the open wound dripping on his side, Rush shakily started walking in one direction, not even bother to spare a glance at Horus's butchered form. He had no idea what he was looking for or why; just that he needed to find it soon. As he walked around a mound of broken cement, Rush could feel himself smiling for the first time during this unusual dream. By some divine miracle, Wallflower's corpse remained undamaged during the slaughter, even lying in a fresh patch of grass that seemed to grown out of nothing. She looked so peaceful – like she was sleeping. Already feeling himself lose his motor function, Rush toppled into the grass at his beloved's side. The pasture was soft and blissful; he wouldn't mind sleeping an eternity like this. And with the last of his strength he could muster, the _Ventus spark _took Wallflower's hand and joined it with his own.

"Now…we can be together again." Rush whispered softly.

And then endless black took over.

* * *

Then next time Rush woke up, he was still in the desolated remains of the once great city known as Station Square, but from a different perspective. The twin-colored hedgehog looked down on his hands to find them back to the normal cobalt color when he noticed something a few feet away. Wallflower was lying peacefully in her garden, but the hand that she was holding – his hand – belonged to a sky-blue lynx no older than himself. Rush finally understood. He had been watching the event through his eyes – Sky's eyes.

"What the hell just happened?" Rush spoke with some hint of worry. "Why am I seeing all this?"

"_**Because this is the legacy that you were born to bear.**_"

"Who's that?" Rush exclaimed frightfully. The voice was massive and sent chills down his spine, but he couldn't find the owner. "Where the hell are you?" He looked back at the audience. "Hey, ya mind lending a hedgehog out?" He waited for a moment of response. "No spoilers? You guys suck."

"_**You'll learn in due time. For now, learn from this. History does have a tendency to repeat itself.**_"

History repeating itself? What was that supposed to mean? And before the twin-colored hedgehog could have the chance to investigate this further, he felt himself being ripped away from his subconscious state and pulled back into the real world. Though Rush was no longer wandering the corridors of his thoughts, the scene of the holocaust still remained in place under a different power. A long shadow slowly crawled against the terrain, stopping only when Sky and his beloved Wallflower when concealed by its presence. If another were alive, they were be stunned by the appearance of a serpentine dragon with pearl-white scales, silver gem-like plates on its chest, shoulders, and forehead, with sky-blue hair touching its shoulders. The white dragon emitted a low growl from the back of its throat, slowly curling protectively around the departed couple like a protective pet.

"_**History does have a tendency to repeat itself.**_" The white dragon growled softly. "_**He must be prepared for when that day comes. Now, the true enemy will soon make its appearance.**_"

* * *

**A new story with more questions and fewer answers. What was the purpose behind Rush's dream? How are these fallen heroes connected to the hedgehog? And who is 'the true enemy'? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, please, please review.**


	24. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Sonic Rush: Next Generation**

Chapter Twenty-Three: Down the Rabbit Hole

The next morning arrived too early for Rush's liking, which could probably account for his lack of sleep. All throughout the night, the hedgehog prince would toss and turn, often falling off his log and startling the others awake. After this happened four more times, Lara-Su had enough and decked the hedgehog between the eyes – he had no trouble sleeping after that. But despite all his fussing, the twin-colored hedgehog never remembered any of his mental experiences. This wasn't anything new considering that Rush could never recall a single dream since the day he was born. The pre-teen hero moaned pathetically as Lara-Su started to shake him awake while Mia and Cherry packed up their bags.

"Wake up, Rush." Lara-Su said in a gentle tone, continually shoving his shoulder. "C'mon, we've got to keep moving."

"Have the author skip this chapter." Rush whined, turning on his side. "It's getting kinda tedious anyway."

"I don't know what's scarier." Mia commented from the side. "That he takes to people who aren't there, or that he used the word 'tedious' in a proper sentence."

"Oh, sure, make the main character look like the dumb one." Rush grumbled as he sat up, brushing his quills free of the leaves and twigs. "What do you this is; Naruto? Ok, you have to admit that the author did bring in Akatsuki and there are a few similarities, but this is Sonic **Rush**. I'm way cooler than some kid who gets high on noodle soup."

"...Huh?" Mia tilted her head in absolute befuddlement; Cherry repeated with a chirp.

"I'm done trying to figure him out." Lara-Su sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Man, you guys are such downers." Rush commented, jumping to his feet. "Well, we've already procrastinated for close to a month. We might as well get this chapter rolling."

"…What is he talking about?" Mia exclaimed.

The more they questioned it, the worse it seemed to become in Lara-Su's opinion. Rush chuckled silently, knowing her best friend and Jewel's replacement would be racking their brains for years. The twin-colored hedgehog turned in the direction of the sunrise, knowing that Babylon was east of their position. But by the time he took his first step forward, something snapped under the hedgehog's foot and a sharp _twang _sounded from the bushes. Thanks to years of learning to think on his feet, Rush eloquently flipped backwards, going into a temporary handstand, before landing into a crouch on either side of his friends. A series of dull thuds connecting with the tree was heard during the motion. Rush looked up once in the clear and shivered at the sight of the one thing that scared him more than water, but less than his mother: needles. Kinda sad really. But while the preteen hero coward behind Lara-Su; Mia raised her brow with interest. Could it be…?

"What is Sky Hawk thinking?" Rush ranted vehemently. "I could have died!"

"Aren't you over exaggerating a bit?" Lara-Su quipped.

"Needles are the tools of evil." Rush hissed in a menacing tone. "They leech into your blood and kill you from the inside." The echidna rolled her eyes at the notion. "It's true! I'll bet whoever set that up was trying to poison me with some incurable disease!"

"Or they just wanted to make sure you wouldn't cause trouble." The hedgehog/echidna duo blinked in surprise as Mia pulled one of the needles from the trunk, examining the contents. "They're filled with anesthesia – a compound drug that can induce amnesia, analgesia, loss of responsiveness, loss of skeletal muscle reflexes or decreased stress response."

"…What's she talkin''bout?" Rush questioned clueless; Lara-Su sighed deeply.

"It's basically a drug that causes your nerves to go temporarily dead." Lara-Su answered simplistically.

"I knew it! The author's trying to kill me off!" Rush exclaimed frantically; Lara-Su face-palmed.

"This definitely seems like something she would do." Mia proclaimed, presumably to herself than the others. "She was always master technician and a brilliant strategist since the day she could speak. First she gauges her targets and always has at least ten backup plans. Looks like we're her new playthings."

"You're yammering, Mia." Lara-Su stated bluntly, breaking the rabbit out of her trance. "You obviously know something, so spill it. What are we dealing with here?"

"Only the most manipulative person since Nazo himself." Mia answered slowly. She moved closer to the group, showing the needle from a better perspective – Rush was glancing over Lara-Su's shoulder. Stamped directly on the cylinder was a green gear with the outline of a long-eared rabbit. "My aunt, Tang the Rabbit.

* * *

From a close distance away from Team Rush, the Babylon Rogues were clustered around a small video screen projecting from wristband. It was apparent that the Rogues had set up a surveillance camera to keep a watchful eye on the heroes based on the holographic image. They had been watching the interaction since the team woke up and had been eagerly waiting to spring their trap. But following the obvious failure, each member of the Rogues held a different expression. Thunder looked worried, Gust seemed liable to blow, and Tang was smiling in satisfaction. It looked like things were going to be much more interesting than anticipated.

"A trip wire?" Gust shouted in disbelief. "That's the best you could come up with: a trip wire? Even I could have told you that would have never fallen for an obvious trap! He's the son of Sonic the Hedgehog for Chaos' sake!"

"I knew that." Tang responded with a calm demeanor. "If you had been listening to my sweet little niece, you would know that little 'trap' was just a trial run. Its true purpose was to collect a small sample of Rush's abilities." Her hand was flying across the holographic keyboard, bringing up multiple files and numbers. "Based on your stories and what I've seen of the Soleanna Invasion, Rush is capable of reaching a quarter of his dad's top speed. He's a bit arrogant and overeager, which gives us an edge."

"And the echidna?" Gust question, suddenly seeming impressed.

"I found her file on the Nocturne central system." Tang informed, pulling up Lara-Su's records. "Her name is Lara-Su the Echidna. She the illegitimate daughter of Knuckles the Echidna and Julie-Su the Echidna. Hmm, that probably explains her stats." She pulled up what seemed to be a grade sheet and a chart. "She graduated from the Nocturne Military Academy at the top of her class, but has yet to receive a proper rank in the force due to her mother's insistence. Her profile says he's nearly as strong as her father at his prime, but is blind as a bat without her glasses."

"We could use that to our advantage." Gust contemplated.

"Uh...Boss." Thunder spoke curiously. "If we could set up the trap, why didn't we just steal that gravity thing while they were sleeping?"

"Maybe that's because you've got the finesse of a bulldozer." Tang remarked sarcastically.

"Hey!" Thunder snapped.

"She's not wrong, ya know." Gust interjected, leaving the albatross visibly depressed. "Besides, Rush has always been a light sleeper, mostly because he never had any dreams to occupy his mind. If we had even tried to snatch the Gravity Element, we would have been caught faster than we could blink. And admittedly, we would stand a chance in a fair fight."

"So we're using brains over brawns." Tang concluded. Back on the video screen, Team Rush was already on the move. "The only thing that could be troublesome is my little niece. She may be only eight years-old, but she has an IQ of 246 – just two numbers short of my own intelligence. It all comes down to who can think faster."

* * *

Back with Team Rush, the young trio had reached the edge of the forest (**Rush: why are we always in the forest?**) that opened to a lengthy plain with a winding dirt road. According to Mia, the grassland stretches all the way to Babylon Garden, much to Rush's delight. After being cramped in forests for ten different chapters, the Southern Princess welcomed the new terrain with a quick dash around the hills. Mia sighed with Cherry repeating his master's expression. With a tactical genius like Tang hunting them, you would think he'd have enough sense to think before acting. Then again, she knew Rush always acted on impulse. Fortunately, Lara-Su's military training forced logic over instinct as her eyes blinked back and forth through the pasture.

"Rush already knows the story about your aunt." Lara-Su said, walking in step with the child prodigy – Rush zoomed in the background. "But I'm kinda in the dark about what's going on. Is this Tang girl really as…difficult as you say?"

"Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg." Mia proclaimed as Cherry nodded smartly. "When Grandma Vanilla married Grandpa Vector, they had my aunt Tang a year later. She was always a natural prodigy – I think she got it from grandma's side. By the time she was two years-old, she could take disassemble and rebuild an Extreme Gear blindfolded. When she had turned eight, she had stolen the position of leadership in Team Virtex."

"So what happened?" Lara-Su questioned curiously.

"No one really knows." Mia hummed thoughtfully. "They were working together for a year and then just disappeared. Last time they saw her, they were chasing a pair of newcomer thieves that tried to mimic the Babylon Rogues – Extreme Gear and all. After she didn't show up for a week, mom and dad asked Aunt Aura, Uncle Howl, and Grandma Kyira to help look. It's been two years and no one has seen her until now."

"Aura, Howl, Tang, Kyira, Vanilla, Vector." Lara-Su recounted with interest. "With your kind of family, it's a wonder that you ended up with a normal name like Mia."

"Actually, Mia is my middle name." Mia answered with a smile. "My full name is Ahsoka Mia the Rabbit. I was named after my mother's Jedi master, Ahsoka Tano, before she died in battle during the Dark Siege. But since a lot of people can't pronounce my name correctly, everyone calls me Mia."

"That's an understatement." Rush said teasingly, skidding to his best friend's side. "I remember this one time when Alina called her…"

"Anyway…!" Mia exclaimed hurriedly. "The point is that Tang's back and she's hunting us down. And if I know anything about my aunt, it's that she's a master of setting elaborate traps."

"You mean like that." Lara-Su said dryly.

Rush, Mia, and Cherry followed their friend's finger down the path, finding a clutter of leaves nestled on the dirt road. Now given the fact that the leaves were shaped in a perfect circle and there weren't any trees for miles, it wasn't too hard to spot. The so-called 'trap' was probably a pitfall like in those old cartoons before comedy was invented. The twin-colored hedgehog rolled his eyes skyward, tapping one of the leaves with his foot – they didn't move. After having to listen to his best friend ranting about Tang's brilliance, he was visibly disappointed.

"That's it?" Lara-Su said frustrated. "That's the amazing genius the great Tang the Rabbit could come up with?"

"I wouldn't be a good idea to underestimate her." Mia stated cautiously. "Last time someone didn't take her seriously found themselves hanging by their toes in Tuscany. Tang is a genius in a wide variety of methods – including psychology. She probably betting on us to think it's a fake so we'll fall right through."

"Or she probably expecting us to think it's a fake." Lara-Su added. "That way we fall into her real trap."

"Or maybe she though that we would think she thought it was a trap." Rush proclaimed rapidly. "That way she thought we would think that she think we thought that we thought it was a trap, but that's not what I think."

"…Ooh, my head." Mia moaned; Cherry looked dizzy.

"Just sit back and watch." Rush said smugly.

"Rush, wai…"

But the hedgehog prince had already leapt into the center of the leafy bed without losing his balance or falling through. Rush couldn't resist a knowing smirk as he kicked the supposed 'trap' for good measure. Nothing happened. For a quick moment, Mia started to believe that her aunt hasn't set them up. But the idea was out the window as metallic walls flew up on both sides of the hedgehog and snapped closed in the shape of a dome. There was a rapid series of thuds coming from inside, signaling that Rush was trying – and failing – to break out. Mia approached the container with a calculative eye, trying to detect a weakness in the structure while suffering chronic headaches from Rush's incessant beats. She remained painfully unaware of the six small machines rising from behind the tall grass, taking careful aim of the young rabbit.

"Mia, heads down!" Lara-Su commanded.

The technical prodigy barely ducked her head before a pair of hardened disks shattered against the dome. The machines were shooting ceramic projectiles. They weren't lethal, but the amount of force behind them was enough to cause some serious bruising. The rule didn't seem to apply to Lara-Su, who jumped in from of Mia and started breaking the flying disks with her fists. Her movements were clumsy and her glasses kept swaying in the rhythm, but Lara-Su was breaking every projectile in one successful motion. Unfortunately, neither girl noticed a hidden disk shooter on the opposite side of the field. The machine discharged its weapon and one of the clay shells smacked against the echidna's face, shattering her glasses on impact. With her vision blurred, Lara-Su began swinging her fists blindly, only succeeding in missing every target. There was no hope for the woman once the shooters started barraging her from all sides, which she raised her arms in defense. But it was rather hopeless – even Lara-Su had her limits. After one particular shot to the forehead, Lara-Su was thrown back into the grass and landed with a strained groan.

"Lara!" Mia exclaimed, skidding to her side. "You all right?"

"Do I look alright to you?" Lara-Su grunted.

"After hanging out with Jewel, it's kinda hard to tell." Mia commented jokingly; Lara-Su whined. "This will just teach you to pay attention next time I tell you to do something. I swear, I'm the only smart one in this group – and I'm only 8!"

"I believe it was Tom Wilson who said 'Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself'. There's a good lesson in that."

The young prodigy allowed her eyes to narrow into a hardened scowl that was usually reserved for Jewel. Mia slowly – almost mechanically – turned on her knees as her greatest rival dropped down from the sky by a green/silver Extreme Gear. Tang could almost feel the anger rolling off her niece in waves, which only brought a smile to her face. The non-avian Rogue touched the ground with her Type-Z Gear tucked safely under her arm, surveying the scene. Rush's ego had apparently triggered her capsule trap and the coordinated assault had left Lara-Su blind and limp – everything was as she expected. Now that only left Mia. The younger hare had already taken a stand against her aunt, but seemed visibly shaken by her appearance, particularly by the flame-patterned tattoos on her ankles and wrists. Why did they look so familiar?

"Hello, Aunt Tang." Mia nodded politely; Cream always said to be polite to family. "We were wondering where you've been for the last two years - grandma and grandpa have been very worried."

"Bah, they're always worried about something." Tang scoffed irritably. "But that's not the point, little Ahsoka." Mia frowned, wonder why she's the only one that got her name right. "I happen to know that you are in the possession of a very rare and newly discovered element. Now we can't have little children playing around with something that important." She held out her hand expectantly. "Just good little girl and hand it over."

"What makes you think I have it?" Mia asked nervously.

"Don't play coy with me, little Ahsoka." Tang giggled, waving her finger. "Rush is too thick-headed and is bound to break it. Lara-Su is a little smarter, but she had a bit of a track record herself. No, you wouldn't trust the Gravity Element in the hands of anyone other than yourself."

"How do you know about the Gravity Element?" Mia questioned suspiciously. "Are you working with Egg-Girl?"

**-Somewhere in Nigeria-**

"Eggwoman!" Egg-Girl screamed.

**-Present Location-**

"Little Ahsoka." Tang smiled, ruffling her ears. "I've always liked you – you're the only one I've never lied to. And if I have to be honest, I have no idea who we're working for. But as long as we get a big payday, that doesn't really matter."

"We?" Mia quipped questionably.

The lime-spotted hare made no attempts of response and instead raised her fists towards her niece. In that split-second, Tang's electronic cuffs shot two thin loops of unknown metal that clamped around the younger girl's wrists. From a single switch on Tang's computer, the metal bands started humming and vibrating intensely until they snapped together. Mia was forced to her knees by the shaking bonds and struggled to pull her hands apart. Unfortunately, the cuffs appeared to have a strong magnetizing effect towards one another – it would take two tanks to pull them apart. Though it seemed rather useless, Mia instinctively attempted to pry the bands apart, eventually falling forward into the grass. Tang really wished she could stay and watch his niece squirm, but she had a schedule to keep – Gust wasn't the most patient person…Er, bird. The non-avian Rogue moved closer and pushed her heel into Mia's back, ending the girl's thrashing.

"I always thought you were a smart girl, little Ahsoka." Tang said cheekily, ruffling through the girl's satchel. "So why do as stupid as go up against me when you know I'm just gonna win."

"Blame it on my dad." Mia answered proudly. "He's always telling me to push myself past my limits."

"And here I thought my brother-in-law was brighter than that." Tang said confidently. But the more she began to shift through the bag, the further her smile began to drop. After a few long moments, she ripped the bag off Mia's shoulder and turned it over, letting all the items drop. There were a few rings, a couple of unfinished projects, and a picture of her family – no Gravity Element. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" Mia said innocently.

"You know what I'm talking about." Tang leered, throwing the girl on her back. "The Gravity Element. What did you do with the Gravity Element?"

"Guess you're not as smart as you thought you were." Mia said mockingly.

Under normal conditions, Tang would have throttled anyone that irked her. But this was Ahsoka – innocent, little Ahsoka. She might not have cared for the rest of her family, but Tang always had a soft spot for her niece. So instead of getting physical, the lime-spotted hare moved loomed over her prey with an intimidating stare.

"I am going to say this one last time." Tang said in a steely tone. "Where…is…the element."

"You really need to keep better track of these things." Tang visibly stiffened. Looking over her shoulder, the rabbit family observed Rush leaning against the side of the dome – Gravity Element in hand. "Lookin' for this."

"Impossible!" Tang screeched as she jumped up. "I designed that container myself! There's no way you could have gotten out!"

"Say hello to my lil' friend." Rush waved with his Scarface referance

"Chao, chao!" Cherry chirped happily in the background.

The chao. She had forgotten to factor in Ahsoka's rare Spectral Chao. Making a note to scold herself later, Tang jabbed her fist in the hedgehog's direction while simultaneously typing an unknown sequence into the electronic article. But whatever she had planned didn't follow through the moment a white-gloved hand constricted around her wrist. The non-avian Rogue gasped hesitantly as she followed the hand back to Lara-Su – her eyes were closed. It only took a small amount of pressure before the echidna fractured the device under her grip, making sure not to cause any additional damage. Her greatest weapon destroyed, Tang rumbled angrily and swiped her leg across the woman's chest. Or at least that's what she was planning until Lara-Su released the young hare, causing her to spin uncontrollably and fall flat on her face. The Rogue couldn't resist shooting a sneer at Lara-Su, who reach into one of the many pockets in her cargo pants and found a pair a pair of replacement glasses. Tang had expected the echidna to be useless without her sight, but forgot to take into account that her other senses were sharper.

"I'm very upset with you." Lara-Su scolded much like a parent punishing their children. "Those types of lenses aren't exactly cheap and my mother went through a lot of trouble to pay for them."

"My heart bleeds for you." Tang said sarcastically, reaching to a hidden pocket behind her belt. "So do me a favor and just bleed."

"Ooh, that's a really bad idea." Rush hissed amusingly.

In that one brief moment of distraction, Tang felt her hands suddenly restrained behind her back – they were vibrating. It took a lot of effort, but the lime-spotted hare managed to look back and find her own magnetized cuffs locked around her wrists. It didn't take much to figure out what had happened. Looking up to find her sweet, conniving little niece only confirmed Tang's suspicions.

"How did you get out?" Tang asked demandingly.

"It's wasn't too hard." Mia smiled with a sweetly tone. "The magnetic charge was dispelled when your remote was broke. All I needed to do was make a little adjustment and it was good as new." She showed the two pieces of Tang's broken computer connected by three wires. "Bet you're wishing you didn't teach me how to rewire a cybernetic mainframe now."

"I didn't think it'd stick." Tang scoffed. Though she wouldn't admit it, she did feel a little pride in her niece…only a little.

"Now that's we've all calmed down, let's talk." Lara-Su said professionally. "Who hired you? And how do you know about the gravity element?"

"Like I already told little Ahsoka…" Tang rolled her eyes to the younger hare. "I don't know who hired us – just that he's paying a fortune for the Gravity Element in one piece."

"Us?" Rush repeated, tossing the Element in his hand. "What? You're part of some band of thie…" Cherry and the females looked over to their twin-colored hedgehog in curiosity. Rush's expression seemed frozen as was able to catch a quick peek at Tang's tattoos – the memories were coming back. "Where'd you get that?"

"Somehow, I'm not surprised you asked." Tang said confidently; she could feel the wind blowing in her ears. "I just happen to know a little piece of your obscured history that I found fascinating."

"Where did you get that?" Rush repeated as his quills started to fluttering into wind.

"Why don't you ask…him?" Tang smirked.

None of the heroes bothered to ask who 'him' was. They didn't have the time for questions when the winds started picking up and abruptly transformed into a miniature dust tornado that formed around Tang's shape. Lara-Su and Rush's natural talent enabled them to jump away before being caught in the heavy wind – Cherry was clutching the Gravity Element for dear life in the tall grass. Mia, on the other hand, was picked up by the gale and shot skywards with a terrified scream. Luckily, Rush raced around and secured the little rabbit in his arms before she was splattered across the field. He remained blissfully unaware of the rosy tint on his best friend's cheeks. The temporary trio of Team Rush gathered around and prepared themselves as the tornado began to dissipate. But nothing could have prepared the hedgehog prince for what came next. The moment the winds had died down, Gust the Hawk stood arrogantly in their path with his Tempest Gear under his arms. Thunder had set his own Lightning Gear aside while trying to pry Tang's hands free with his own hands. And after that failed for two minute, Tang told him to smash the computer – he really enjoyed that part.

"Ugh, what took you idiots so long?" Tang complained.

"But I thought you said you could take them." Thunder proclaimed victoriously.

"It is unlike you to make so many mistake, Tang." Gust chuckled amusedly, cutting off Tang's imminent rant. "Guess you're not so perfect now, are ya?"

"Shut up." Tang mumbled disappointedly.

Thunder seemed to gleam with happiness, looking as if he had won the lottery. Then Tang smacked him upside the head. The pain was worth watching the overachieving rabbit fail miserably. But ignoring the heated debate between his teammates, Gust surveyed the transfer team with a critical eye. Mai was young and naïve, but unimaginably brilliant beyond her years. Lara-Su was a by-the-book character that looked she had inherited some of her father's temper. Then came Rush. Gust wore an impassive expression at the sight of the twin-colored hedgehog – a gesture Rush returned equally.

"So…looks like your dream came true." Rush said airily. "The Babylon Rogues are back together and you're in charge just like you dad was." He tilted his head for a better look at the other Rogues. "I see Thunder's still following you around like a lost puppy, but I didn't Tang could be a Rogue."

"She followed us after a heist in West City." Gust explained with a shrug. "Thunder caught her tinkering with our Gears in the storage locker. We were thinking about locking her up until we found out she improved our Gears by twenty percent." He ruffled his head feathers, tilting his head to the hedgehog. "And what about you? A world-class hero already? I saw you on the news taking down that snake guy."

"Not a hero yet, but I'm on my way." Rush grinned.

"Rush, what's going on?" Mia asked curiously. "Do you know this guy?"

"Yeah, I know him from way back." Rush nodded with a hint of amusement. "His name's Gust the Hawk: Prince of Babylon Garden, leader of the Babylon Rogues…and my best friend."

* * *

**Another twist finds its way deeper into the roots of our hero. What history is shared between Rush and Gust? Who will walk away with the Gravity Element? Will anyone every get's Egg-Girl's name right? Find out on the next Sonic Rush!**

**Please, read and review.**


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